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Newspaper
Berkshire Eagle
Location
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States of America
Date
May 15, 1969
Page
9
Daily newspaper published every day except Sunday and holidays by Eagle Publishing Company at 33 Eagle Street Pittsfield Massachusetts with local news features and community notices.
Editorial notes President Nixon’s Viet Nam speech as a carefully conciliatory move with little warmongering language. It argues the aims are to signal withdrawal options and renewed negotiations, while assessing the limited bargaining power and the Paris peace context in which a broader political settlement is needed.
An editorial argues the Selective Service System is arbitrary and unfair due to deferments and board discretion. It supports Nixon’s proposed random lottery to limit draft vulnerability but says a lottery only shifts risk. The piece urges abolishing the draft in peacetime and funding a voluntary military to ensure fairness.
A 1904 Horseless Age ad spotlights the Pittsfield Spark Coil Co. at 75 Cottage Row later Eagle Street, touting Jewel mica spark plugs and a four-unit coil box in mahogany or oak. It notes tests at Madison Square Garden, a 16-volt primary spark and 10 amperes, and claims a battery-free start. The firm moved to a four-story brick building before closing circa 1911 as auto production concentrated in Detroit.
A trio of letters argues over campus unrest with focus on student protests and the silent majority. Peter S. Nikitas from Hofstra deplores violence and building takeovers while stressing rights and responsibilities, Cynthia J. Zucco of New Marlboro questions quick labeling of groups, and Fred and Lucie Lancome of Monterey critique excesses of Pentagon spending and urge youth pursuit of meaningful options amid social upheaval.
The Dalton talk session on schools examined why many new buildings are one story. Architects cite cheap Western Massachusetts land, state building rules, avoidance of stairs, maintenance savings, and fire safety. Recent rules reduce outside wall space by requiring fewer windows, allowing more compact designs.
Jonathan Lewis, a 25 year old New York college student, calls for urgent change to end poverty and discontent, criticizing greed and violence. He urges a tranquil, safe city with reasoned policy and pride, confronting Nixon era cuts and national inequality. He denounces obscene divisions and demands a shift toward humane governance.
Rabida Council Knights of Columbus will hold its first annual summer dinner and hall at the Maplewood Hotel on June 5, with John Murphy James Naughton Joseph Buckley James J Callahan and Francis M Callanan in charge. Also noted Berkshire graduates and Brandeis donations.
In letters to the editor, residents discuss the Lee Fire Department's ambulance, noting space limits at the central station, truck reassignment to South Lee, and the value of volunteer firefighters versus paid crews. They question tax impacts and call for proper equipment and thoughtful budgeting. Additional letters urge legislature size reduction and critique taxation and welfare policies. A Pittsfield reader cites inflation and labor costs, while a Harvard professor advocates dialogue with radicals over police actions.
Martin Waldron reports from New Orleans that Clay Shaw, awaiting trial for conspiring to assassinate Kennedy, shared a dinner with liberal guests. A nearby matron asked, What are we going to do about Nixon, drawing a rare moment of laughter from Shaw about his looming case.
In New York commentary, faculty largely back students troubled by teaching duties and freedom. Critics argue students misjudge campus priorities, urging focus on order and substance over broadened academic liberty while administration must assert authority to curb protests.
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