Suburbanite Economist (Newspaper) - March 9, 1975, Chicago, Illinois Economist Newspapers Sunday March 9 1975 i Commentary Public forum No big scandal in the forest preserve v A television desire for a headline caused a flurry of publicity recently over the Cook county forest preserve district's long standing policy of ting some of its employes to live frr houses still standing in the preserves for a very small rent The charge was and continues to be that the person who is for- enough to be assigned one of these homes is enjoying a tually rent-free existence at the expense of the common taxpayer and that it takes political clout to get one The Cook County board which runs the forest preserves has re- plied that the occupants of the also serve as watchmen for the buildings and the surrounding woods particularly in reporting fires Thus the provide a service in ad- dition to their regular duties for v which they are entitled to com- As usual in issues of this ture there is some truth on both sides It does appear that the rents being charged are ridiculously low And it seems odd that some the forest preserve normal duties have ing to do with maintenance should be assigned some of these houses On the other hand it should be remembered that these are es which stood on property quired by the forest preserve They were not built they came with the land so they do not in themselves represent any major expenditure It is true that the structures could not be ted to stand in the woods without someone caring for them Nor is living in them always as sweet as a spring blossom or the early morning call meadow lark There is a certain amount of inconvenience and danger re- from their isolated tion The residences are not eted by every employe Late night callers for one reason or another are common We don't see the issue as any big scandal though the County board would probably be well advised to take a look at the rents and the service performed and make a few adjustments As we said the practice has been going on for years and housing has become a much bigger item over the years Just bring the rent and service performed into line The Southwest's newest ber of the County board Ron Larson has proposed that the houses be made into recreational centers This would seem to be a laudable purpose if it can be proven practical But it would not eliminate the need for would in fact in- crease this need Perspectives Dominoes again? By ALEX R SEITH Anybody in the house want to play That old gag line did not sound funny last week when it was ken in earnest by three men of James Schlesinger the Secretary of De- fense Henry Kissinger the Secretary of State and Gerald Ford President of the United States The domino theory Schlesinger told a key committee of the House of has been excessively dis- Obviously Schlesinger was talking about a parlor game but the latest episode in the seemingly endless trauma of Indochina Schlesinger's im- mediate aim was to get Congressional for million of emergency military aid for Cambodia His larger was to debate America's longer term role in Asia In the President Eisenhower predicted that if one country in na were to fall to Communism others would fall like a row dominoes No one over the age of 20 needs to be told that the domino theory was the central premise in President Lyndon Johnson's rationale for agonizing escalation in nam Nor does anyone over 20 need to be reminded that Lyndon Johnson was en from office and his Secretary of State was exiled to obscurity by massive American disenchantment with that ory A winning book The Best And The Brightest was acclaimed in 1973 for its eloquence and ness in devastating the domino theory and all who advocated it Theme of the that the concept of falling Sparks of Wisdom CHARACTER Nearly all men can stand adversity but if you want to test a man's ter give him power Abraham Lincoln TOASTMASTER May you achieve automatic drive out getting shiftless Copeland WOMEN'S LIB Women's lib claims equal rights so how come diamonds are a girl's best a man's best friend is a Earl Wilson VIEWPOINT The denunciation of the young is a part of the hygiene of older ple and greatly assists the circulation of their Wood Logan Smith FREEDOM In free countries every man is entitled to express Ms every other nun is entitled not to listen Norman CoHe noes was so beguiling and so vicious that it captured the minds and destroyed the reputations of a whole generation of leaders men who were indeed by any measure of intellect and past the best and the brightest Why then did James Schlesinger and Henry Kissinger risk stirring public sions about Indochina that had ly cooled or died in the two years since America's withdrawal from combat in Cambodia a small neighbor df nam was first thrust into the center of angry American debate in the spring of 1970 when Richard Nixon ordered an in- called it an of this inconspicuous nation on the Indo- chinese peninsula His order triggered another gathering of thousands of protestors within sight of the east lawn of the White House In a pre-dawn attempt to explain his decision on a personal basis Richard Nixon went to the Lincoln Memorial at 4 of the second day of the protest The President talked and the protestors listened He argued and they were un- convinced And they were not alone in being unconvinced The Congress promptly passed legislation requiring withdrawal of U.S troops from dia long before the more celebrated withdrawal of American combat forces from Vietnam All that remained of America's tary presence in Cambodia was what er remained in As the ships brought American boys home from Indochina other ships passed in the night carrying American weapons to In- Long ago Lyndon Johnson had said Asian boys should fight Asian wars Since 1970 America has been spending hundreds of millions every year so that Asian boys could do just that But the boys on our side have not been fighting well enough The Khmer Rouge Cambodia's Communist dent of the Viet Cong in Vietnam are gathering deadly momentum and ing victory over the bodian government of General Lon Nol Schlesinger warned Congress that the Communists will seize Cambodia within weeks unless there is a massive new in- of U.S aid the domino predicts that if bodia falls to the Communists its bors will also be prone to fall His critics say that the Lon Nol is so inept it will fall no matter how much money America spends And they argue that the current Communist threat was caused by America itself History shows say Schlesinger's tors that there was no Communist tary organization in Cambodia until America's 1970 incursion They believe that the more America spends in dia the more the Communists will ceed If so America's choice is a brutal di- Either stop aid and let dia go Communist immediately or con- aid and have it go Communist ter thousands more have died It is grim reminder that in the game of al politics those dominoes statesmen play with are often human lives Only thing to You would never know it from ing to our leaders but there are more people working today than there were a year ago It may very well be that the only thing we have to fear are the makers themselves Unemployment statistics are swelled by the 2.4 the most part teenagers and come from families with a breadwinner Three-quarters of a million are people who have voluntarily quit their jobs It is vital to remember that 40 per cent of American youth between 16 and 21 are in college These represent 23 per cent of the total current work force The figures indicate then that over half of aged youth are working either part-time an the time or full-time only part of the time and any delay in getting for in- stance a summer job or a part-time job at school greatly inflates the ment figure The unemployed rate for adult men for instance stood at 6 per cent at the end of January substantially below the postwar highs of 7 per cent in July 1958 and 7.9 per cent in October 1959 ly the jobless rate for workers covered by regular unemployment insurance grams now at 5.5 per cent was below highs reached in 1949 1954 1958 and 1961 The average duration of ment stood at only 10.7 weeks below the average of 13 weeks for several months in 1971 and 1972 Those termed hard-core or unemployed for 27 weeks or more numbered just 8 per cent of the total less than in January 1959 The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that household service work has dropped off by despite the great demand for maids gardeners etc Employment agencies in New York have a tough time filling such jobs as cutting up and ing chickens elevator operator or watchman Bids for jobs fell after President Ford announced new un- employment benefits indicating that ABOUT PUT Ji FEET DOWN Of all things A nice guy but By H MARLIN REPUBLICANS could not make a ter choice for county chairman than George M Burditt who despite his ing effort against Sen Adlai Stevenson made friends wherever he went Burditt is so far superior to anything the GOP have trotted out as a county leader for so many years that there is just no grounds for comparison Burditt strikes us as a man of ple a square shooter easy to talk to and a hard worker If the Republican party needs a new it certainly can supply it However the GOP needs more than an image It needs a loyal industrious starting with a band of pre- cinct captains that can match the go Democrats for effectiveness NOW we know that patronage is the base of such strength and the cans have been at a slight disadvantage shall we say in this respect We know also that even at their peak of power the Republicans never have had a tight enough organization to call it a machine if you will or a steamroller Some Re- publicans take pride in this in the belief that it reflects a more independent er class citizen Perhaps but it also makes it more difficult to win elections So it seems to us that unless the Re- publicans can build an organization of manning or is it or is it every precinct in the county it 5s not going to get where It certainly hasn't made any ground in the last 20 years by repeating over and over again that the Democrats are a big bad corrupt machine The GOP should have learned by now that the voters aren't that know that corruption is not confined to any particular party or any segment of ty And that people who brag the most about being honest are the ones you have to watch the closest Furthermore the average bloke figures he's got a little better chance of getting a piece of tl action with the Democrats in power than the Republicans us up to our only reservation too a guy for the tough organization job re- Political that's what the Republicans need if they are to be a factor in local seldom nice guys Daley's power is not based on love He is well liked and admired by his lowers But he wields his influence through power and respect gained on the political battlefield Can a polished yer with the comfortable outlook on life of a Burditt do the IF GOVERNOR WALKER'S public works plan goes through and if the Rock Island Railroad succeeds in its to get out of the commuter service patrons along the Rock Island could end up with shiny new stations but no to stop at them A helluva way we might say to run a a railroad But is it any sillier than proclaiming proudly in a time of recession and unemployment that there'll be no new It re- minds us of Richard Ogilvie making the same statement when he was governor just after having enacted the income tax What the people want to hear dear governor is not that there won't be any new taxes but that there will be a tax decrease ITS AN ECONOMIC fact that savings accounts increase when the economy turns down Hard to believe perhaps but just ask your local bank or savings and loan executive It's happening WE HAVE NEVER been able to figure out why hospitals appear to spend more time and money on public relations than most other businesses The flood of tures and news releases from often in unremitting Surely the hospitals are not trying to sell their services No one is going to go there un- less it is absolutely necessary and then the choice is usually made by the doctor not the patient Maybe it's part of the fight against socialized medicine Or maybe it's more proof that doctors are easy prey for anybody selling this case public relations Then again maybe the doctors just like to get their pictures in the paper a not un- known human characteristic Taxpayers ask IRS Q I own part of some rental property with two other people We all share ex- penses of maintaining the property How do I defect what I paid ta A If you own a part interest in rented property you may deduct only your share of the deductible ses even if you paid more than your proportional share of the expenses Q Can I deduct the tall amount of the sates tax 1 Just paid on my new A If the rate of a state or local sates tax on motor vehicles is higher than the general sates tax rate that part of the tax paid that is equal to a tax imposed at the general sates tax rate is ble while some people can't find jobs others simply don't like the jobs they can find DANIEL SOBIESKI S Monitor Money not answer Congratulations to Richard Schiller and Pat Stanton for their comments at the last meeting It is a joy to hear a program helping the business area can be started without an enormous amount of money Isn't it about time starts working with real people instead of ey toward the Granted finances are needed but must everything they do revolve around how much money can be We don't need another need to keep the people here and I for one don't believe more taxes are going to keep anyone in this area A positive outlook doesn't come from the almighty dollar MRS VIVIAN GINDERSKE Morgan Park One way to go in 19th ward A civic leader in Mt Greenwood has stated that it is time for a change of ermen in the 19th ward Perhaps she is right but her timing is off Voters should consider the facts It is a fact that the greater majority of men in the City council are members of the powerful Democratic organization often called the Daley Machine It is a fact that in the past 20 years of the Democratic in the City council were on all issues presented good or bad It is a fact that should an crat win the election in the 19th ward he should prepare himself for four years of frustration The net result will be the people will lose The winner be he can't fight the City council nor join them even by kissing a certain mistletoe Common sense should prevail Citizens of the 19th ward have only one way to go they must go along with the party in power JOE MARTIN 19th needs a new spirit The voters in the 19th ward have a fresh opportunity to vote for a new spirit stay with the same old pro's that we've all complained about We can select a man with an exceptional educational background and one who is trained in law and law Jeremiah Joyce can select a man whose only tion is that he has served as an aide to the present alderman It's the voters versus politics as al During the last 10 years outside ness interests built in Morgan Park Many of these are abandoned be- cause buyers had little financial interest in the homes Lack of Who inundated area with Outside business interests also ed into Mt Greenwood area and located nuisance pubs there The pubs have downgraded life for residents especially near St the block between 3200 to six liquor licenses were granted Thankfully Morgan Park and Beverly have been spared this Outside business interests also have purchased property zoned l family dwelling and built apartment buildings which increased density This rezoning increased the value of expense of residents Who rezoned the Who has changed our communities for the worst by creating this climate of anything We can't afford to be apathetic We have our life savings invested in our homes We should have a voice in deci- sions which affect us streets schools police service etc If you're unhappy with for a change in the 19th ward Demand full income disclosure PAULA DERBAK Support By your recognition of the STOP program in your editorial you have enabled readers to learn of this proven way of helping persons in our community to help each other We your support The whistle in the kit is to be blown in a situation in which one including yourself is in trouble When someone hears the whistle he calls the police 1313 and I hear a whistle blowing in the 6900 block of South or wherever the location is The name of the caller need not be given In addition to ways listed inside the kit for using the whistle it has been used by a person living alone to summon help when she fell broke her leg and could not reach the phone The whistle brought assistance It is useful to have when putting away the car in a garage when going where alone and as a way of calling for help at any time on the street The lice are aware of the gram and cooperate with it The whistle is not a toy and should never be given to children For further information help in promoting the campaign call visit or write the Southwest Community Con- gress 3015 W St 4364150 STOP kits cost only The persons who leam about the program and cooperate with it the better and safer our will be It's a goal worth working for EMILY D THOMAS for Southwest Community Congress or RE L:
