Vandalism & Selfishness In today's Reader's Forum column on this paKe. an Avalon resident compliments the program of politic property checks aimed at curbing crimes against property And in this week's Herald news columns is a story reporting on Cape May City's latest crackdown effort against vandalism. Anyone who has driven along Cape May-'s Beach Dr with any frequency, has surely seen the concrete benches frpm the promenade face down in the street, where vandals have toppled them (he night before Ar the foot of Broadway, the city's pavilion has been ‘ defaced with spray paint, the ugly black scrawls greeting Easter strollers on that end ■ of the promenade last weekend. CITY MANAGER FRED COLDREN has sent letters to area school principals, asking that ''the missing concept 1 ' be taught the students "Respect for the private ana public property rights has to be taught at home and in the schools,'' the city manager emphasizes.' The mahager is hopeful that increased emphasis on respect for property rights in the school and at home will help alleviate the growing vandalism problem. Where that fails, the city is also beefing up its police effort to catclrvandals in the act — as a way of cutting down on the rqpnetary loss testimated at over $50,000 a year in Cape May i, and also as a way of instilling respect for property. "Some of these kids have never learned the concept of respecting .other people's property,'', the city manager says, “so they’ll have to le.-irn the hard way: in court, reform school or jail" THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT police being in the right place at the right time can go a long way toward curbing vandalism and other crimes against properly. And close watches by' polled in smaller municipalities can be effective to a degree. But in large mainland municiffalities, it is doubtful the taxpayer will lie willing to pay for the army of police that would be necessary to adequately monitor public and private property. Besides, when it comes to dealing with juveniles, the law is stacked against Taw enforcement, which has lieen hamstrung for years in its efforts to combat the rising incidence of juvenile crime. In the longrun, it seems that education is the answer But not just in school, and not just about respect for property rights. In today’s Me Generation, there seems to be a terrible lack of respect, period No INDIVIDUAL. REGARDLESS of age, is going to respect someone else or someone else's property unless he or she first respects himself or herself. And given the rising incidence of alcoholism, drug use, venereal disease, unwanted pregnancies and cigarette smoking among youngsters, it seems clear many young people don't respect their own bodies The inability of many high school graduates to adequately read and write would also seem to indicate there is little respect for the individual's own mind. The teaching, the learning, of self-esteem and self-respect is, ironically, the missing ingredient in today's self-centered society.

JofcnM. Andru« II

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Police Care in Avalon

By Mr. and Mr*. Charles Boettlnger My husband and I would like to compliment our Avalon police for taking such good care of our community. ] ^ Our daughter took us for a ride to check on our little place on 24th Street and Fifth Ave. and found several yellow cards in our mailbox telling us they had been around and checked our place, leaving the date and name on the card, Thank You again. Mr. and Mrs. Boettlnger have a home in Avalon.

Wednesday, April 9,1980 Public Outcry April 16 Can Defeat Electric’s Proposed Rate Increase By Edward H. Salmon On Wednesday. April 16. the N.J. Public Utilities Commission is going to hold.a public hearing on the proposed 686 million rate hike by the Atlantic Electric Company in the Millville City Hall Commission Chambers. « Conducting this hearing will be Judge Tom Crawford of the Office of Administrative Law, Judge Crawford will hear public comment from 10 a m. till l p.m. and frdm 7 p.m. till 9 p.m. or longer if necessary. I would like to urge the citizens of our area being served by Atlantic Electric to attend this hearing and to voice their feelings concerning this proposed rate increase of 686 million — the largest proposed increase in the 94-year history of the company. , I strongly opposed this inflationary rate increase^for a variety of sound reasons •The increase greatly affects present industry and business in our area. •The impact of the increase hampers the efforts of county officials to attract new industry ahd business to South Jersey. •People on fixed incomes will be unable to afford the

increases.

•The proposed rates are highly inflationary and are not in line with federal guidelines to curb inflation in our

country.

•Since the average wage-earner must live within a seven percent increase in his budget each year, it is incredible that Atlantic Electric would be permitted a 56 percent increase within a 15-month period. •Since county and municipal government must operate under a 5.5 percent cap. the utilities should operate under similar restraints. «, Your testimony of opposition at this hearing is important in order to defeat this increase. I personally believe a public outcry of sound reasons by civic groups, organizations, elected officials, and citizens can be the difference in defeating this unnecessary increase. » Your attendance and participation can make a diflerence, , Edward Salmon l» a Cumberland County freeholder. Editor’* Note: The Cape May County Board of Freeholders is also on record opposing the rate hike proposal and asking the state PUC to reject it.

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America Turned Sideways

By John W. Flaher Almost every week one of the OPEC countries announces an increase in the price of oil. And this behavior shouldn’t surprise us: Seven years after the 1973 oil embargo. America still doesn’t have a sensible, coherent, national energy policy. Instead, we arc turned sideways, drifting like seeds on the wind, relying as much on hope and chance as on initiative and productivity and the American free enterprise system. Foreign countries read this wavering as a signal of weakness. The overall policy of wavering extends to almost every aspect of our economy. America desperately needs but does not have a sound fiscal policy. A sound fiscal policy simply means that the federal government spends only a reasonable share of the national income. and that politicians realize that, in spite of all our wishes, money is limited. Americans cannot afford some of the programs which we might like to undertake. What happens when government overspends at the level we’ve seen over recent years? Inflation grinds away at the purchasing power of the dollar. Business enterprises are not modernized — because the millions of dollars necessary cannot be acquired or because the interest on that money is so high that it does not make sense to borrow it. Outdated equipment makes it more difficult to compete with foreign manufacturers, so dollars and jobs go elsewhere. This weakens the dollar and increasesthe unemployment rate. America desperately needs but does not have a sound regulatory policy. A sound fiscal policy simply means that the federal government spends only a reasonable share of the national income, and thatpollticians realize that, in spite of all our wishes, money is limited. Americans cannot afford some of the programs which we might like to undertake. What happens when government overspends at the level we’ve seen over recent years 9 Inflation grinds away at the purchasing power of the dollar Business enterprises are not modernized - because the millions of dollars necessary cannot be acquired or because the interest on that money is so high that it does not make sense to borrow it. Outdated equipment makes it more difficult to compete with foreign manufacturera N so th« SOVEREIGN STATE of AFFAIRS

dollars and jobs go elsewhere. This weakens the dollar and increases the unemployment rate. America desperately needs but does not have a sound regulatory policy. * All of us are drowning in a sea of government regulations. Yes. we need regulation — to protect the natural resources, the air and water we all own in common from the excesses of individuals and businesses alike. But regulations should make sense. They should do their jobs effectively and efficiently. Instead, we have created a confused, senseless, costly and counterproductive jumble which has a negative impact on every aspect of life. America has a strong reserve of courage and initiative and productive spirit on which to draw. It is not for nothing that we are a nation descended in one way or another from pioneers. It is not for nothing that our ancestors tamed the West or that our generation walked on the moon. We can turn this country around again. To do so. we need: •Increased productivity. Each of us has to produce more to earn a day’s pay because a nation’s income is measured not only in its stores of gold but in the productivity of its people. For example, check the amount of time wasted by coffee and other breaks in work schedules. •Control over government spending. Let's make money available for business and individuals alike •Control over government regulations. The economy must function while the environment is being protected in an evolutionary rather than revolutionary manner. •Sensible government policies. Policies must be predictable over the long term so that Americans can plan for the future. Policies should make investment a sensible decision again. Only in this fashion will Americans have the products we want and need. Americans will face some tough challenges in the 80s at home and abroad. But challenges are a way of lifeTWe have faced them before — when the American flag wore only 13 stars and stripes, and in every generation since. 1 have confidence that the American spirit and her free enterprise system together will prevail. John W Fisher is chairman. National Association of Manufacturers. BOYD