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The Herald And The lantern

Thursday, June 7,1979

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"the Committee Hos Concluded That We Should Burn Our Currency For Our Energy Needs Because If s Cheaper Than Our Present Source"

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VIEWPOINT

Letters To The Editor

Halbruner Demands Catanoso Apology

To The Editor: On 5-11-79 in an area newspaper, Freeholder Director Catanoso in a fit of anger said, (referring to myself/ Franklin L. Halbruner) "He is a disgrace to the people of Cape May County." In the same article he referred to me as the lowest type of person lever met." On 5-14-79, I sent Freeholder Catanoso a certified letter, return receipt requested, demanding a public apology in the area press. The return receipt was signed 5 15-79. My request was nol complied with, therefore I must make the letter public and again demand a public apology The Letter: Dear Freeholder Catanoso: You have been quoted in the Oazette-Leader, 5-11-79. as having said in reference to m*» "Do is a disgrace to the people of Cape May County,” you have also been quoted as calling me "the lowest type of person I ever met in my

life”. These remarks are so vicious that I must demand of you an immediate public apology. In the event that your apology is not made public in this weeks issues of bothihe Gazette-Leader and the Atlantic City Press, you will leave me no recourse than to hold you. criminally responsible for these statements. The apology has not come forth, once again I ask Freeholder Catanoso to apologize in owning his condonimium or any of his other holdings. I just want the apology, "BUT" I’m absolutely unafraid and will go as far as necessary to get justice for those uncalled for vicious personal remarks Harry Truman put it so well "If you can t take the heat, get out of the kitchen." The heat can and will be applied politically. I want it made clear I have no interest personally. I look forward to an apology as requested in my letter in the immediate future Franklin L Halbruner Cold Spring

55 M.P.H. Saves

Lives And Fuel

Is it possible for anyone to hold two elected offiws and do a competent job in both? At the present titne. there is no law iq New Jersey which prohibits this from happening. All over the state, there are elected municipal officials who are also in deetAl county and stale positionsl A bill is mow being •-tiidied in a ' N >V. State Senate committee which wriuldvban duel office holding. In Our less complex past, it. may not have have mattered much when this occurreij. 'Today, with so many problems needing the undivided attention of elected officials, holding ■JYvo offices means the public is nol getting the kind diligence it deserves .from its representative Most ofI ice holders also have their

ow n jobs or business, which means they arc dividing ttieir energies three ways W»' see no objection to a person holding a municipal, county or state office while being a candidate for a higher one. A good official should not have to be penalized by resigning to run for another office, but if the candidate should win, he should be allowed to resign from his first office. Government has become so complicated, even at the local level, so inundated with rules, regulations and laws, that good government depends on the complete concentration of each elected official We would suggest that our elected state representatives eliminate this archaic custom. J A. Cunningham

A law that saves lives is a good one, most people would agree. The 55 mph speed limit law. however, lias become one of the most controversial pieces of legislation passed by Congress in recent years. Resently. there is discussion in several states about abolishing the 55 mph speed limit; at the same time, arguments for maintaining the law are very strong It saves fuel and even more important—it saves lives. \ Passed by Congress in 1974 as a temporary fuel conservation measure, during the Arab oil embargo. the 55 mph speed limit was made permanent in January. 1975. As a result of the legislation, the Federal Highway Administration estimates motor fuel savings at 3.6 billion gallons per year. In addition to the monetary factor, traffic fatalities dropped the first year after the 55 mph law was enacted. Fatalities fell from 54.052 in 1973 to 45.1% in 1974 That saving of approximately 9.000 lives was maintained each subsequent year until 1977, when fatalities rose to 47.671. an increase of 2.148 over ’974i. according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Traffic deaths are slowly rsing nut people are stiii driving at lower speeds than they did before the 55 mph maximum was imposed According to the National Safety Council i NSC i in 1973 the number i of vehicles exceeding 65 ’ mph was 31 percent. This figure was down to six percent in 1974 and 1975. • The motorist who drove 70 to 75 mph when speed limits were 65 mph may be traveling at 60 mph now He is exceeding the speed limit—us he was before -but he has cut his '-peed 10 or 15 mph.” says

an NSC spokesperson, "and that reduces accidents and saves lives." To conserve gasoline, the 55 mph speed limit was selected by the federal government as the median energy efficient speed based upon its studies of wind resistance and engine efficiency factors. Studies by the Auto Information Council say there is a loss of one.mile to the gallon for every increase of five mph over 50 Additional tests conducted by the Federal Highway Administration indicate that requiring vehicles to run at highway speeds under 50 mph would probably waste fuel because of gear ratios, timing settings and other mechanical factors There are several sound safety reasons for support of the 55 mph speed limit, says Allstate Insurance Company. A driver has more room to compensate for errors at lower speeds. Higher speeds magnify the impariment effects of alcohol and fatigue, faults in tires and headlights, and the inadequacies in road and design or driver behavior. The number of drivers who can maintain vehicle control decreases rapidly at speeds higher than 55 mph Allstate also points out that at speeds above 55 mph. stopping distance lengthehs dramatically ’Hie probability of surviving a crash decreased as the vehicle speed increases Friction, tire and parts wear, and nervous tension also increase with speed AH the above support the continuance of the 55 mph law. With the forecasted one dollar gallon for gas, it is an important cost factor in the operation of an automobile The U.S. is increasingly dependent on Inreigr. oil supplies

oldeM Frrr Wrrkl' In Thr ('mini*

Our Thirteenth Year Serving Cape May County P.O. BoxO 2789 Dune Drive Avalon, N.J. 08202 Phone 967-3312 967-7209 Published Every Thunday By the Seawave Corporation Darrell Kopp Editor and Publifher Bill Sherman Sport* Editor Kathleen Cox Schaeffer Reporter J. A. Cunningham Feature Writer Cheryl Crews Feature Writer Peter Dunne Columnist Charles P. Lamey Columnist Cheryl Crews Graphics Contributor Gail Carino Advertising Graphics Susan Carr Compositor News & Photos Monday—3 p.m. Advertising Monday—3 p.m. Classified Advertising Tuesday - Noon Subscriptions — S7.00 PER YEAR Naithar participating advortisars nor tho publishers of tHe HERALD twill be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, etc.. In any issue. The editor reserves the right to edit any letter- or articles submitted for publication.

Summit Needed

WASHINGTON - A group of Senators are joining New Jersey's Bill Bradley in calling on President Carter to convene an "Energy Summit Conference” for clarification of the nation's oil supply situation. Among those endorsing the idea were: Joseph Biden, Jr, D Del.’ Dale Bumpers, D-Ark.' John Danforth, R-Mo.' Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz.; Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y.’ David Pryor, D-Ark.; Paul Tsongas. D-Mass, * and Lowell Weicker. R-Conn. Members of the group issued the following statement: "We are urging President Carter to convene an 'Energy Summit Conference' and then give Americans a full and prompt report on the country’s oil supply situation "Clarification is badly needed. The American people have been bombarded for months by contradictory statistics from many sources, including government officials, industry leaders and assorted organizations with competing interests. In the process, there has been a across-the-board erosion of creditability and public confidence. Recent shortages of gasoline spawned even further confusion, skepticism and apprehension. "Americans deserve a straightforward accounting with hard facts. “We believe the President can obtain and provide that information to the public more effectively than anybody else, and that he must begin immediately. "We suggest that the President: "-Ask all major corporations producing, refining or transporting oil sold in the United States to hand him any data which he considers relevant to current supply conditions. "-•Hftve that material analyzed independently by experts such as those at the Energy Information Agency, the Energy Department's Office of Special Counsel for Auditing and tfie General Accounting Office. "--Call the Energy Summit Conference, inviting top executives of the oil companies, key Energy Department personnel, and any other individuals deemed ^appropriate. We hope he would encourage

attendance by representatives of consumer groups active in the energy field. "-Direct conference participants to review the fundamental facts that have been gathered, explain the causes and dimensions of the nation’s present energy problems, and project supply trends for the rest of the year. "-Present the conclusions of the conference to the American people as quickly and clearly as possible, and let them know what kind of individual sacrifices can be expected of them. "-In our opinion, such actions would help to reduce public suspicion ‘and uncertainty, and put this nation in a far better position to meet the challenges at hand." AAA Gas Report Planned The AAA Auto Clubs of New Jersey announced that effective immediately 4hey will issue a weekly New Jersey Fuel Gauge Report summarizing gasoline availability and prices around the State. The Report, being prepared by members erf the AAA's Public Affairs Council, will be issued Thursday afternoons through the Associated Press. United Press International and AP Audio, announced Donald L Hughes, State Chairman of the Council. "Between 125 and 150 service stations will be surveyed by the AAA each week, and statewide results will be issued as a public service to our members and the motoring public throughout the area." noted Hughes. Among the ihformation A included in the AAA Fuel Gauge Report will be the percentage of stations sun eyed which are open 24 bnurs-a-day, those closed by 8 p.m. week nights, those closed Sundays and h'olida>s. and those limiting sales either by dollar amount or gallons. Also included wilQ>e the average price of regular, premium and no lead gasoline around the State. Gasoline availability in specific areas may be obtained by contacting the local AAACIubservingthat portion erf the State