opinion

Our Readers Write Fisher Letter 'Ridiculous' To The Editor: I read Ruth Fisher's June 25 letter to your newspaper with much interest. I feel the necessity to respond to it, 3ince I have been employed by the county Mosquito Commission for 24 years and. according to Fisher's philosophy, will probably die soon because of these "poison sprays." Former commission employees working with these "poison sprays" have retired and are in their 70s and 80s and enjoying a healthy retirement. FIRST. I QUESTION her statement about this application on "a cold and windy day." The temperature was approximately 66 degrees and the wind was 5 m.p.h. The application was early in the morning, before the wind came up. Since she is obviously attempting to frighten the residents and visitors of Cape May County, it should be pointed out that we only use three ounces of Malathion per acre, a very small amount. I would also like to point out that I live in one of the sprayed areas and since the application, which was days ago and not just "a day or so's relief." I have been able to enjoy my backyard barbeque and being out in the fresh air again, something I could not do before the spray. "* Furthermore. I would like to invite her to my house this weekend to collect the "beneficial insects" from my garden plants, since I intend to spray. I'm sure she would like to take these "beneficial insects" back to her garden. And, surprise, the insects that are chewing up my tomatoes, potatoes, beets, beans and turnips shouldn't even be there, according to Fisher, since all these poison sprays were applied two weeks ago. I MOST SINCERELY HOPE the farmers do not stop applying these sprays, as eating has become very enjoyable to me and my family. I would not want my children to suffer malnutrition from lack of food because of insect damage. I have four children, all of whom are normal and healthy and obviously shouldn't be. according to Fisher, since I have worked with these "poisons" for 24 years. I would like to ask. Fisher if we should stop using our vehicles, turn off our lights, stop heating our homes and close all factories Because these are some of the things that are putting toxic fumes into the air? Should we stop controlling mosquitos carrying encephalitis? Since there is research into the possibility that AIDS may be passed on by mosquitos, along with many other diseases? Should we forget about that? Should we forget the fact that mosquito-borne diseases have killed more people in the world than all the wars since the beginning of time? Do we not try to protect the health and welfare of the human population as best we can? FISHER SHOULD BE with out inspectors and me when we answer citizen's complaints about mosquitos and see children swelled up from bites that required doctor's care, or babies with eyes swollen shut from bites, or maybe a child with brain damage as the result of encephalitis. Should we say to these people, "sorry, we can't do anything?" No. of course not. We have an obligation to help. I am not a scientist, but I would guess that Fisher contributes more pollution by using her vehicle, which emits carbon monoxide, to travel to the many county and state meetings to protest their policies than all the mosquito sprays applied in the county in a year's time. THE PUBLIC SHOULD ALSO be aware that the com- ( Page 91 Please) Joseph R. Zelnilc Editor Bonnie Reina General Manager Gary L. Rudy Advertising Director John Dunwoody Special Promotions Director Darrell Kopp Publisher Sw'Q.«Co»» ■<&** '«»«"«* A" It* ,nw, ol Gxp No port KkmJ mq, b« >ayxo<fcxa4 DEADLINES News & Photos Thursday Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. Classified Advertising Friday — 3 P.M. 465-5055 For News or Advertising Information Mail Subscription: Yearly, S40; Six Month, S20 Call 465-5055 For News, Advertising or Subscription Information iw poth.t.w w .w hijuui n>n*V

Berry's World JMK9 W 9iMMr«A.nc 7-4 ^ "WE LOVE YOU. LADY!" Prisoners Produce .To The Editor: Minimum wage, maximum gain. That is the productive and useful work from 50 Leesburg Prison short-timers. Any work in this age of loafing and indifference is refreshing to read about. It is something to be glad of — a practical step expected of a modern and sensible people. In Virginia we have the problem of persons not being able to read or write. When they can't they cannot fill out a job application or read work orders. We are doing something about the illiteracy problem. It's good to read in your newspaper that your county too is up-to-date. Imagine going to prison and learning there how to read, write and work. It is a way to rejoin the human race. RISTO MARTTINEN Falls Church. VA.

'Poor Boobs' Hit Taxpayers To The Editor : I have been reading that there is a great deal of weeping. wailing and gnashing of teeth, to say nothing of bleeding pocketbooks, which is the result of the loss of some of the beaches in Avalon. From the lacrymose liquid being spread from Avalon to Trenton by the busload, it would seem that nature, in from the Atlantic Ocean, has done a terrible thing to the poor (?) people whose houses sit virtually on the high tide level and, as a result of their indiscretions, they expected the taxpayers of Avalon and the state to bail them out. All these antics bring to mind that the ocean is uncontrollable, and what we see today is not necessarily what we will see tomorrow. As proof of this is the fact that about 50 years ago. Avalon had a 4th and 5th Street, and about 40 years ago a full 6th Street, all of which were washed away by the encroachment of the ocean and a series of nor'easters, now called hurricanes. BACK THEN, the property owners took what nature gave them, and didn't try to pry the locks off the state treasury, as is being done now. Those of us who have spent most of our lives along the New Jersey coast have no sympathy for the poor boobs who built so close to the wave line, and who seemingly wanted to be able to stick their feet out the window and have them washed by the waves. Many of the them bought their land at bargain prices and have been rubbing their palms together in sadistic glee over the escalation of values. They forget that the ocean does not take profits. Take a good look at all the huge, old three-story houses (circa 1900 plus) along Avalon Avenue. Except for a few that are on 21st and 22nd streets, and some others which were moved from 5th to 6th streets, all are on the west side of the avenue, not on the beach side. Why was this done? VERY SIMPLE. The old timers had a fear of the ocean, there was no flood insurance available and they properly protected themselves from loss or damage by the ocean. Also look back to the mid-'2Qs, when Townsends Inlet came to the beach at 17th Street, paralleling and brushing the then-Boardwalk until, at the very tip of the island, it turned westward and entered the Inland Waterway. Also take a look at the huge beach now west of 1st Avenue. That wasn't there a few years ago, so why not take nature's couse and find out that what is lost today can be returned later without expenditure of vast sums of tax dollars to benefit only a few. FOWLER H. STRATTON Avalon

Your Tired, Your Poor Give Me Your Cardiacs

By JOE ZELNIK It's almost here — Liberty weekend, a combination of the annual Independence Day celebration and the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. Among highlights: a 40,000-ship parade, unveiling of the restored Miss Liberty, and a spectacular fireworks display. Every square inch of land — and water — within a hundred miles of New York is already reserved to watch the extravaganza. I had planned to take my own yacht there, but it's in dry dock with a clogged bilge pump and a stuck choke. Or is it a stuck bilge pump and a clogged choke? No matter. SO I WILL BE HOME, four houses from the ocean in Stone Harbor (where I rent, I hasten to add, lest kidnappers be tempted), with a superior view of New York City to the northeast, using binoculars. You're all invited to view the hoopla from my place. Because of the significance of Miss Liberty, first preference will be given to immigrants, second preference to second-generation Americans. Use of my yard for the view is ABSOLUTELY FREE. There will be a few incidental charges : $3 an hour to park. $1 per five minutes of binocular rental, and, should you get hungry, $1.50 for hot dogs (with that special propane gas grill taste) and $3 for American beer. WE ALSO WILL BE SELLING chocolate Statues of liberty , from the refrigerator; orange popsicles shaped like the Statue, from the freezer ; and soft pretzels shaped like the Statue, from under my arm. Prices will be set according to what the traffic will bear, as they say. The islands will be pretty crowded this weekend. To make it easier for you to find me, I will be on my silver skateboard and dressed all in white: hair, short shorts, patent leather shoes, t-shirt ( more gray than white due to washing in cold water), and. to really stand out in a crowd, a white money belt. I should mention that there could be a yard sale going on because my wife puts on one of those any time she sees more than three people in a group. I offer this invitation not to make money, but as a major charity event. All funds raised will go for a paint job for my destitute car. IT IS ESPECIALLY significant that this patriotic celebration occurs at the same time as the Suketu Nanavati-Robert Sorensen trial. Only in America could a native of India (as opposed to a native American, who has few rights) sue for a couple

million dollars someone whose ancestors probably came over on the Mayflower, or at least the Queen Mary. This trial, as reported in the Atlantic City Press, illustrates many of the privileges and freedoms symbolized by our Independence Day and by the message of Miss Liberty. FOR EXAMPLE. Dr. John Napoleon testified that Nanavati failed to "return" patients sent to him for heartrelated treatment. Imagine, a board-certified cardiologist stooping to treat ingrown toe nails. And yet, why not? If a man opens a hoagie shop and hoagie sales slip, do we say he can't add chicken wings to the menu? Isn't this the American way? Besides, it's not really the "patients" the doctors want "returned." It's the patients' money. And what is more American than lusting for big bucks? Isn't that what Miss Liberty signified to those "huddled masses," a chance to share in the loot? Isn't that why we all buy lottery tickets, even though we know Phil Matalucci will win? MISS LIBERTY SAID. "Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tossed to me." Can we blame doctors for saying , "no, no, send them to me?" Much has been made of a so-called Nanavati "insult." But insults are as American as apple pie. Without insults there would be no H.L. Mencken, no W.C. Fields, no Don Rickles. And what is all this about interpreting EKGs? Who is this EKG, anyway? And don't Americans have the right to disagree about him the same way they do about FDR, JFK, LBJ? THIS TRIAL really boils down to a reluctance of grown men to share. Sharing is one of the first things we are teaching Danielle, almost 6. Already she shares things she hates. Thanks to parental example, she soon may share things she tolerates. Some day she may even share things she likes. Where were these doctors' parents when "sharing" was being taught? After all, we're not talking about the last dip of Rocky Road ice cream on a hot July day. This is just money. Surely every cardiologist worth this salt-free diet already has more of that then he can spend. Yet competition is the American way, handed down from pirates to outlaws to entrepreneurs. Would anyone deny the right of two or more t-shirt shops to contend on a Wildwood boardwalk? Yes, this duel may tarnish a hospital's reputation. Sure, patient care may suffer and a few lives could be in danger. But there are principles at stake. Or is it principals?