The Brazosport Facts from Freeport, Texas • Page 4

FACTS EDITORIAL Why not lower-level report? THE BRAZOSPORT FACTS BXTOMAl PAGE FmpoH, Texat May, April M.lt72 Section I. Reform is the battle cry of this year's political campaigns, as office-seekers fall in line with public distress at the stock scandals. It's in almost everybody's who've been advocating reform, and those who've been previously involved in activities that brought on the demands for reform. Now the trend is toward financial disclosure. There have been growing and tightening requirements for reporting campaign contributions expenditures and debts.

Now at the state level there is a movement toward full financial disclosure of personal wealth, sources of Income, and activities or involvements that might constitute a conflict of interest in carrying out the duties of the office being sought. So'me candidates are taking the lead in this, by making full disclosure and. In effect, daring opponents to do likewise. Reluctantly, others are making reports. Some would regard this as an invasion of privacy, and they are right.

But the prevalence of corrupt practices among office holders has been shown to be so great, and the image of political service so stained by it, that the public's right to know information relevant to an official's honesty Is greater than the of ficial's right to privacy. It would be useful to the voter, (or example, to know that a certain lawyer- legislator who pledged to fight for lower insurance rates was receiving retainer fees from an insurance lobbying group. But why stop at the state level? There is a great deal more opportunity lo misuse public funds and authority at the county level than there is in the state offices. Suppose a county commissioner en tcrcd office relatively poor but after a decade had amassed huge land holdings. If he had been forced by law to report these prior to each election, the public might demand to know how the- land was acquired; and if not properly answered, might dcnj continued opportunity to profit personally by public office.

Most of the elected officials commissioner, Judge, sheriff, tax assessor-collector, district attorney- have it in their power to grant favors" of substantial value. Where this is possible. there is great opportunity for bribery and graft. Disclosure at this level would have to begin with a law requiring it. Thereafter it would be not by law.

but by willing compliance by honest candidates. ANDERSON MERRY-GO-ROUND President may call I for the US Marines PAUt HARVEY NEWS The WPA: Was it all that bad? There is now some Washington money available to local governments to put workless workers to work, Why not? Whenever it's suggested that welfare recipients should work for what they gel, liberals cry, "Shame on us!" and conservatives say, "We don't want another WPA." Why not? The WPA was not all that bad. The Works Progress Administration of the lampooned by cartoonists who consistently portrayed the WPA worker as leaning on his shovel while coUecting public money. And there was some shovel- leaning, to be sure. But that perpetuated image distorts the picture.

People NEW YORK CAP) Courtship is the way life gleams. Marriage is the way life is. He used to give her posies. Now, after 25 years of marriage, he brings her in a pale tomato he grew in the backyard as if it were a thousand roses. In (be old days they told each other there would always be perfect truth between them.

But the time has come when, if be tells her something, neither of them is sure whether be is fibbing or not He tells her what is convenient Then he dreamed of her every night when they parted. Now, everynight, be has about some aspect of bis how he has fouled it up again. She remembers fondly the poetry he once read aloud to her in her small apartment by the light of a single glimmering candle. And what is Ihe last thing be read to her lately? It was the riot act, wasn't it? They were wonderful, they those long strolls in the moonlight together, side by tide, arm In arm, they took when they were still falling in love. Now when they go for a walk-and seldom it Is that they three steps libels mad at her, and walks three steps ahead if is mad at him.

was fun in the old days to work the crossword puzzle in the Sunday newspaper together, sprawled like a young god and goddess on the of hit tiny apartment. he lief in bed until now on Sunday, and all he wants to if the section. UMd to have only jfer.Jwr, and swore no other jirl an earth was worth a tot. Now at cocktail Pftkcf big talk with ttringe blonde under 40, Out Researcher Paul Lancaster recently dug into New York City's past and discovered that many politicians who run scared from the WPA designation are themselves enjoying the use of UGuardia Airport, which was built by WPA labor. As was much of Newark Airport.

The East River Drive was largely a WPA project. New Yorkers enjoy several golf courses which were constructed by "shovel- leaners." Central Park was beautified by WPA workers. Indeed. Lancaster recalls New York City was kept from falling apart during the depression by WPA workers building sewers and sidewalks and repairing museums and libraries and other public buildings. Yet when the President twice vetoed bills which would have created many more jobs, be said, in one veto message, we don't want "WPA-lype Jobs." Surely whatever waste, duplication and goldbricking characterized it.

the WPA was a lesser evil than the present welfare program, astronomically expensive, rife with graft and totally unproductive. During the depression there were as many as 8.5 million Americans doing WPA work. They built 57,000 miles of urban streets. They built or improved 572,000 miles of rural roads. They built or improved 8,000 parks and 12,800 playgrounds and renovated 31,000 others.

They built or improved more than 1,000 libraries. The WPA was attacking environmental problems before they were recognized as sewage treatment plants, sealing abandoned coal mines, reseeding depleted oyster beds, reforesting cutover lands with 177 million trees. Yottr're an old-timer if you remember radio's Boake Carter saying, "I still don't understand how they expect to get the country out of the woods by planting trees!" WPA was a bootstrap for teachers, clerical workers, writers. Nationwide we continue to enjoy a legacy from WPA labor: a stadium in New Jersey, swimming pools in Kentucky, a lake-front park in Chicago, a ski lodge in Oregon. What will we have to show from today's monuments! welfare boondoggle? More illegitimate children.

Diminished incentive. Families enjoying a fifth generation on welfare. Our unemployment is less today but our needs are renovating cities, reducing pollution, recycling waste. replanting, beautifying. The salvation of WPA was the low pay.

You had enough lo eat, but not enough to be you kept looking for a regular job. HjrJACKANDKIWON WASHINGTON-There no longer any that Ihe showdown battle ever South Vietnam ki now raiting on several fruits It also evident from secret White House in our posseuton that the liming hat I'rwicJrtii Nuon'j strategy for ending American involvement In the Vietnam lie had gambled Ihat Hanoi wouldn't military ihowttown until the US pultout wat compMe therefore, pared the withdrawal to give (he Suuth VtrtMrneM to boUlrr their timing was aba tAtrnkd to Ihe final until 14 Ihc November tkrlion dkl hii lo prf- tiMttr Hanoi, ('tiling and Mtwccm thai the I'nilnl wouW depart Vietnam but wuukl tl pcinotrcf North thrown thwr entire army, net pi for traming ttivuioctv into trtcutry at puiaibie lime (or B-U'KTOVtKTKAM? tin military that will namprr but woo'i itop offctsdiirt! art abo grate ttoubti sbwrt South ability So witiMlaitl (tie The 1-tMUknt. Itaetvtofv, pUia to tend the t' lo ViTtiwin This ciTMWly vttfk tum.mll fevfaruxtr to few! oi cause thdl toukl The Defeme Secretariat made Ihu blunt additional aiimmcnl major (command wteclion ijitetn, it it thai ihe I1V NAP presently will em remliluie poUiicai military I counter lo the Wl Cong at the vt Vietnam's in the the UVNAF at prrfciwt) tottstitirtetl to wtdcfi U4p the rural and othrt nikKcMttlWcl pupulacr in HVNAK (tntnir cerrwl tbf ettaflt Buair Uir of a war ifac Yrt thr vfttrt White papen uS MM oi South 't Liability to he iilfiffft ri alaj Kit! ft ii JArJj iW.lj live Co Kirf INKS UK BUSINESS MIRROR Productivity is theme of business speeches military 4 Uui ihf South VVrtiumne wwM be to baRcUr CoromualtJ ihrra', liu? forrnrifdbV TYwy of Vkt cam fufJ (uRttvit tottm. cuuM not toym with 4 jurdbtc Urutt North Army HVNAK. their ptvucvl ot combat North Army festtwi couo'rj i (fu to counicr North Mt 4 Jart ByJOHNCl'NNIFK AP Butlnwi Analyst NEW YORK (API The subject of productivity is likely to be the theme of more business speeches during this year and next than any other topic, including the related matters of wages and other costs.

The United Slates once showed the world how to produce goods. Its methods were envied, sought, bought and copied. Americans had the know-how, no doubt about it. But now there are doubts, and they are growing. Productivity is the efficiency with which a nation or a company turns out its in terms of hours and through the wise use of men, money, methods and machines.

Americans seem to have lost their wisdom. The tables of productivity- gains by the world's industrial nations how show the United States far down the list, stalled behind nation's that once eagerly soughl its know how. In the five years that ended wilh 1970. manufacturing productivity row 2 per ctnt in Japan. 7.9 in S.6 in France and 53 in Germany In the United Stairs tt row 2 1 per cent.

In those lies much Ihe cxplanalnxt of why the United ir.flalion, why many goods are over-priced in relation to competition, why there a balance of payments deficit. why strong (alter The solution involves nothing less than the effort ol every single working person Management can be blamed for losing its edge in innovation, ingenuity, creativity, planning. Commerce Secretary Peter C. Peterson told a congressional group: "Management slipped into the habit of being more conccmod with the short-term earnings statement than with the long- term earnings that would be seriously affected by lagging productivity." Labor can be blamed. In a WORLD ALMANAC Vwt Army At the military yr: Sooth 'in Ktndic Vtrt il fruxn 'hr A tc a Klchard Ucncral chairman.

Shis of Army in FOUNDED IN III! 'HE BRAZOSPORT FACTS DEDICATED TO THE OBOWTH AND PROGUESS OF SRAIORU COUNTY James S. Nabors Editor and Publisher Glenn Heath Executive Editor Chester C. Surber Business Manager George W. Room Foreman Frank Press Room Foreman Nanelle MaUory Office Manager Bennie D. Circulation Manager EDITORIAL DEPT.

Ed Decwysen Editor Roberta 8, Dansby Assistant Managing Editor ADVERTISING DEPT. Gerald Dew Advertising Manager Pearl Advertising Manager Euierri Class matter March 21, 1WZ, at the Freeport Texas, Post Office, under the net of Congress rf March IH70. Published dally and Sunday except Saturday at 307 Park Frwpori, Texas by Review Publishers, Inc located at 307 E. Park Are, Freeport. Texas.

James 8. Nabws, President. MMrlttfesj ruen By carrier, dally Sunday, 12.29 per nsMlb, Mail mlwcriptioHS are available on aad paysbic to advance. our it i high a) per on cvrtatn tliyt certain and over i ot our hourly work I5ta "Thw with a 2 pier cent to 3 per rrnt rate in the wrly IWw year Ihc rate improved for the first time in to from per cent to 4.8 per cent We atv couraged by DIM." Government can bolmed Why. it may foe (airly did federal seek solutions to inslrad of treating (ho hatic underlying factor 1 Why did government try to keep prices down when production coats were A summary, but the only one that encompatsci the true dimemtoM.

in ihat augcc-sml by Peterson. The United States, told congressmen. baa "gotten a little fat and laiy." THE WORRY CLINIC Politician vs. statesman II) I'h U.M t) AUn 25. a rljftamic Tcadwr in nctxnl "I)r Crane." he began.

"I luvr u.wd TKO copies ncvripaprr bnaklrt an the 10 Common KalUcics in and i'otilkral Tricks "Fur tomr of my will be old wough to vote at our neat election "And most of young people can tWnk vrry logkaliy if they arc expand lo Ite on both tides of the tuucs "Hut I am glad you also explained the common trlckj that pofiticiatui of both major often employ to hoodwink VDUTI. "And I wish you'd cUrily in your column the difference teaman fur en in -fitwvl thr Hut 1 In the United Slates, freedom of the press Is guaranteed as a civil liberty by the First Amendment to the Constitution. During World War 1, however, the Supreme Court held that censorship of the press would be permitted when a "clear and present danger" to national security and safety existed, The World Almanac recalls. Copyright ft tt't, POilCVs News in tali shall tcturale aa4 fair. no pw'f to bUrae, ply into No Extent Originals The original manuscripts of the books of the new Testament of the Bible, as they were written by Ihe Apostles, have all been lost.

Only copies remain and none of them date from the time when the Apostles were still "Do you anything I con loU- proptitj foxtt?" AAKON There old adage that i a slalcaman thinking ol Ihe next generation, while a politician concerned only with the next election! When my oidcti ion. Dr Philip M. Crsnc, former American History was elected lo Congrvu 3 years sgo, he was warned by colleagues: "The major concern of every congressman should be his own reelection!" He wasn't urged to consider the future safety our famous Republic. Nor of the best interests of the whole, vs. Its diverse voting parts.

Nor of the reduction in our tophcavy federal debt. Nor of the threat to our luxurious "free enterprise" system of the looming millions who now are on the backs of the hard working taxpayers. Alas, at present every worker must not only try to support his own family. But (hen every employed persons are also forced to support a non-worker and the letter's entire family on welfare! Ho we need few more true statenmm In our legislatures! brother Asron he an) lurnni lo p. taakr which jjo Iwfofr for man that ijrouuht up nut ol tlw land what become him Motet, wan thp (irorgp who had frwxl wmc Itrarlfio Aaron.

AH (to brntncr of MDMTI. was (he Oiief I'ricsl ol Jphovah Hut Aaron more Interested in kcvpintf Uwn In relijjlon long could be the priwt. he didn't care if he served Cod or an idol, to ho ordered tno people lo bring all their gold ornaments, which he melted down lo form the Golden Calf. Selfish will likewise kill (he (hat lays the golden just to win In Ihe next election. Statesmen oppose unwine welfare! They try to save our enterjurisc" system! Send for my booklet "Common Fallacies In Logic and Political Tricks," en.

closing a long stamped, return envelope, plus cents. Ulwtri wril.