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opinion

Herald & Lantern 20 May 81

lot urn

Hughes Wrong In Opposing Budget Cuts By Boech N. Fok I am one of those concerned citizens who for some time has closely followed the issues surrounding the unhappy state of our national economy .As such, I feel that N J Second District Congressman William J Hughes <D) was wrong when he voted against a major portion of President Reagan’s budget proposal in the U S House of Representatives on May 7. The first pari of the administration's plan dealt with the size of the proposed 1982 federal budget Congressman Hughes voted “NO" on the reduced budget along w.ith 175 other Congressmen who were defeated. Hughes also will undoubtedly vote against President Reagan's second half of the economic program dealing with a 30 percent three-year tax cut. plan By his "No" vote. Hughes chose to support those who would have us continue along on our present course of Johnson-Carter economics of the John Maynard Keynes philosophy , which of course has brought lis to the brink of economic chaos in this nation THE CONGRESSMAN has obviously'become convinc ed that most of the citizens in the Second Congressional District do not even want the President's program to be . given a chance for success. This seems rather strange in view of the fact that like citizens all across our land, •the voters in South Jersey strongly supported President Reagan and his positions in the elections a few short months ago I, for one. believe the citizens want and expected a v reduction in the wasteful and excessive spending by the Fedeal governmenf as well as the corresponding and long overdue tax reductions that would ultimately come with it. It is only through a bold, new economic program that the American people will be able to get on their “financial feet" This mitioh hasn't been able to stabilize its economy for far too many years. Democrat-controlled Congresses kept trying to prove that we could solve any problem by putting it into the hands of an unelected bureaucrat and tossing money at it. It's time to stop the nonsense. CONGRESSMAN HUGHES gave clear indication to the voters last Fall that he was prepared aiyl willing to work with a Reagan Administration. That position won him a lot of votes. The President now needs critical bi-partisan support on what will undoubtedly be this administration's most important legislation. His program deserves a chance for success. Bill Hughes obviously has his own convictions and has the right to represent us*in a way he is willing to be accountable for I do.not argue with that principle. This time, however, the Congressman should have' come to the aid of the Pi^sident He should have given his program a chance. For all of us. Beech Fox ik.county sheriff and ran unsuccessfully ngoinat Hughes/or Congress last November.

The State We're In Chemical Sprays

5. Jersey Ve£ 'Out-patient Center? by Gerald H < . Thornton I read recently the proposed veterans hospital that was to be built in-Camden was one of the priorities to be eliminated from the Federal budget. It is in the interest of the veterans of Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland and Salem Counties that a medical out-patienktreatment center be built in the Southern New Jersey area. The reasons for an out-patient medical center being built are that diagnostic tests, medical evaluations, and treatment could be given to the veterans in these areas, eliminating the need for the distance in travel involved to the nearest veterans hospitals, with no guarantee of admission given at the time of arrival. The distance for travel is between 75 and 85 miles to the nearest veterans hospitals, and with the money involved for gasoline, tolls, etc., this amounts to quite a cost for the average veteran. In most instances, only diagnostic work is done at that time, with the veteran being called bJ^for further evaluation, or admission. MOST WORLD WAR I Veterans and some World War II Veterans have Medicare; they can utilize a nearby private hospital. Since the Camden Veterans have a veterans hospital in nearby Philadelphia, only a short distance from Camden, they are not in the same position as the Salem, Cumberland, Cape May and Atlantic County Veterans. Another factor to keep in mind, no medical school or college is necessary for an out-patient center, but is a requirement for a veterans hospital. An out-patient facility would be less costly to build and staff. Perhaps an existing publif building could be utilized, reducing the costs of this proposal. Gerald H. Thornton Is vice director of the county Board of Freeholders. British Seagull 387 High Wire by Ima Byrd Man thinks those silly little birds sitting in a row on wires are just passing the time of day. Actually those little birds are performing a great service to humanity — They are members of a special relay team, the W.I.A. (Wire Intelligence Airbirds). These birds check on illegal landfills, toxic dumping in our waterways, nuclear power leaks — things that go unreported by officials or are usually found on page 92,

Are There Too Many Cooks In Avalon? by Jane Ann Cunningham Despite the fact that the Borough of Avalon has a Mayor, af Administrator, a President of Council, and a public rfefatfons firm — somehow the relatively important news that a Councilmatic election was to be held Tues y, May 12 wasn’t released to the local daily paper or the local Radio station. The Herald, and other weekly newspapers printed releases from the candidates in the week before the election. Anyone reading the daily paper Monday and Tuesday would have thought the only elections being held in Cape May County were in Sea isle City, West Cape May and Wildwood Crest. An Avalon resident called the radio station informing the station of the election when it wasn’t announced in their broadcasts. They added Avalon’s election to their list. BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE in voters causing a new voting district to be formed, last year the polling place was changed to the Community Hall from the Borough Hall. Many voters were unaware of this move. The Borough Hall itself was closed for the day, but there were no signs or directions telling voters where the polling place was. It is possible that one of the newspapers may have had a small legal notice giving the time, place and date of the election, but this is not the best way to inform the voters. POLITICIANS DELIGHT IN calling voters apathetic when there is a poor turn out at the polls. The public is not always to blame. Most people, especially at this time of year, are busy working, getting prepared for the summer, fixing their homes, and going about their daily business and need to be reminded when there is a May local election. It is the responsibility of Borough officials to publicize such elections. It is disgraceful that it wasn’t done. •Editor’s Note: The Herald had front page stories two weeks running on the local .May elections, an inside arti-. cle on the Avalon ballot question, in addition to any releases sent in by the candidates. Jane Ann Cunningham is an Avalon resident.

Act

section J of the newspapers. The W.I.A. meets in groups to discuss local, state and national problems. Then the bird at the end gives a signal and they fly off to their secret human contacts to give their reports. JUST LAST WEEK THEY WERE discussing the problem of landfills and other things. "Remember last year when we saw all that dumping in (Page 23 Please)

Impede Natural Check on Gypsy Moths

by David F. Moore The gypsy moth is an unobstrusive flying bit of fluff which, if evolutionists are correct about external influences shaping a species, will soon have dollar signs emblazoned on its wings I'm reminded of this, naturally, by the advent of the peak sales time of the year for a few smart pesticide manufacturers who annually reap vast profits from this hapless moth. The reason is that the little moth, like any member of its species, emerges from a pupa after having been a caterpillar.

It’s the caterpillar which sells the pesticides. It’s big and hairy and ugly and cats all kinds of leaves, even needles from evergreens. Abetted by public relations persons from those same pesticide makers, it has achieved a truly frightening image. Now it's time for the annual onslaught of the gypsy moth in this state we’re in, so get ready for an airborne spraying of doubtful chemicals. THE GYPSV MOTirWAS accidentally introduefd into New England from Europe about the middle of the last century and, because it lacked the natural enemies which prey on it in Europe, it multiplied awesomely for some time, eating through forests and alarming many people. Like a lot of other species, it enjoys cycles of peak population, and hence periodic Upsurges of temporary defoliation in spots, but the last time I looked. New England appeared intact. Now the gypsy moth is in New Jersey, and we’ve had some instances of forest defoliation which alarm wellmeaning people unschooled in the subtletiesof nature. The leaves usually grew back in time to preserve the trees for ■ posterity, but such spectacles are all the agrichemical complex and their supporters need. We taxpayers continue to subsidize expensive federal spray programs, which are possibly dangerous to our health and. above all, dangerous in an unheralded way. Most of us have heard the arguments about Sevin (carbaryl), which has not been proven safe from a , i human standpoint, especialy the possibility that it may cause birth defects. It wins a lot of acceptance because in a few days it breaths dovm into harmless components. But during that few days it is

totally devastating to bees. Yes bees, the domestic honeybee and the big yellow-and-black wild bumblebee alike. Bees are essential to pollinization of flowers which later produce much of the fruit and vegetables we cat. BUT BACK TO GYPSY MOTHS. The reason they are not major pests in .Europe is that nature has matched them with checks and balances in the form of other insects, viruses and bacteria which prey on the gypsy moth during its various stages of life. Smart scientists have been setting out such gypsy moth enemies here, with a lot 'of success. Except that when the airplanes come over with the spray, predators get killed along with gypsy moths. Even if they survive, those predators and parasies need some gypsy moths to eat in order to perpetuate their own populations. New sprays, containing bacteria fatal to gypsy moths, are being used more and more This Is a better approach, but still not as good as letting predators do their thing. Here in New Jersey, I find it alarming that bureaucracy of the state-federal spraying program now makes it harder for one to avoid being sprayed. One used to be able to learn when spraying was due, and to express a wish for exemption to the town fathers, who would cross your property off the plan of attack, THAT’S STILL THE WAY policies are enforced in Pennsylvania, where a properly owner gets 10 days to file a written rejection of the spray plan, without having to give any reason at all. (By the way, I’ve been concentrating on general forest spraying instead of the selective spraying of prized lawn and omaraenal trees. Nobodjr should hesitate to use a safe pesticide, like the bacterial ones, for that purpose.) If you’d like to get some quick expertise on this subject, which is a good idea nowadays, just send $1 to the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, Box 157, Mendham, N J. 07945, and ask for their new information package about the gypsy moth questions. It’s a good investment. j David Moore is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.