THE COVINGTON NEWS —THURSDAY, AUGUST 18,1977
2A
Albania stands alone
Europe may have to contend with something new in
the way of Eurocommunism. Enver Hoxha and his hard
line Communist government in Albania are filing for
divorce from Peking.
Hoxha has long been at odds with the Tito govern
ment in neighboring Yugoslavia. He broke with the
Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact when Nikita Khrus
hchev launched the de-Stalinization campaign in the
19505. He sided with the Chinese in the ideological split
between Peking and Moscow, relying on Chinese aid
and trade to develop an industrial economy for Albania.
Now, the purging of the so-called radicals in the
Chinese Communist Party — Mao Tsetung's widow and
the "Gang of four" — apparently has convinced Hoxha
that even Peking cannot be trusted. The Albanian party
is criticizing Chinese leaders for dealing with the
capitalist United States, and Chinese aid missions in
Albania are being sent home.
Instant voter registration
President Carter's proposal to require that all states
permit election-day registration for voters in federal
elections looked at first like a natural for a Democratic
controlled Congress. Democrats generally embrace the
theory (which is no compliment to their party) that im
pulsive, last-minute registrants would be more likely to
vote Democratic than Republican.
But it's been downhill all the way for the registration
bill, and not because Democrats are feeling sorry for the
COP. Two congressmen passed out falsified identifica
tion cards bearing the names of some of their collea
gues to drive home the point that the bill would open
new opportunities for fraud. As it turns out, however,
fraud is only one of the issues taking the bloom off the
rose of instant registration.
Congressmen are beginning to consider the admini
strative cost and delay in registering voters and
checking IDs at polling places on election day. The sight
of long lines at the door could drive away as many
Family quarrel quelled
The rapid escalation of border skirmishes between
Egypt and Libya shows the depth of animosity between
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Libya's fanatic
Moammar Khadafy. It appears to have been smoothed
over, at least for now, in a ceasefire. But the world has
seen once again how tenuous are the links that tie
Moslem nations of the Middle East and North Africa into
a supposed entity called the Arab world.
The confrontation between Egypt and Libya is an em
barrassment to those Arab leaders trying to confront
Israel with Arab unity, both in the military sense and in
terms of any negotiations that may be in the offing. In
deed, the speed with which other Arab leaders leaped
into the arena to negotiate a ceasefire shows how im
portant it is to avoid such a breach.
This is not to say that some Arab leaders — partisans
on both sides — would not like to see a showdown be
tween Mr. Sadat and Gen. Khadafy. They have come to
represent a certain polarity within the no-so-united
Arab camp.
Since breaking off with the Soviet Union and negotiat
ing agreements with Israel over Suez and the Sinai, Mr.
Sadat has emerged as the foremost advocate of ac
commodation with the Israelis. His resistance to Soviet
influence in the Middle East has endeared him to Saudi
Arabia and, of course, has helped cement Egypt's new
relationship with the United States.
Gen. Khadafy, on the other hand, likes to see himself
as the spiritual heir of the late Gamal Abdel Nasser. He
accuses Mr. Sadat of being too soft toward Israel, and
has been building up his army with the help of the
Dollars for Congress
Your federal income tax return next year may display
two options for contributing federal funds to election
campaigns — $1 for the 1980 presidential election and
$1 for the 1978 congressional elections.
We hope so, because this is entirely clean money. No
strings attached. It comes in the cause of good govern
ment and only good government
Most privately donated campaign money is special in
terest money. It swamped the 1972 presidential cam
paign with cash for CREEP, the Committee to Re-elect
the President The Watergate scandal was one result.
The Georgia Enterprise established 1865-The Cosington Star established 1874
The Enterprise established 1902-The Citiaen-Obaerser established 1953.
(Uouingtnn Nema
Winnar of II stoto and notional newspaper awards since 1950!
Official organ es Newton County pvbHsbud weekly on Thursday
NATIONAL 'X
( (I Address: Subscriptions:
■ Cerintton News, Inc. Ono year in Georgia ... $9.27
*’ M Mw T 271 *• W ‘ °"* ~rt 2M
Cuviwgtou. Georgie 30209 Second Class Postage Paid
Phoao: 714-3401 « Covington, Georgie
Moaogomont: News: Advertising:
Mable Sessions Dennis publisher Greg Jones news editor Leo Mallard-manager
Leo S. Mallard-editor Robert C. Greer-sports editor Jeanne Smith-display
Mary Sessions Mallard-associate editor lee Shearer-staff writer Jan Bailey-classified
Lucile Skinner-society writer
Georgia Press Association 1977 Bettor Newspaper Contest TZSTSV
Newspaper
2nd Piece-Best Clessifiod Advertising y’QjjmU/ji 1977
3rd Place-Bost local Photograph Better Newspaper
by 100 $. Meßerd c.-m.-t-
This could be viewed as an amusing domestic squab
ble in the Communist household, except that nothing
that affects political alliances in the Balkans can be taken
lightly. First the Russians and then the Chinese had
provided Albania with an economic lifeline and a
degree of "big brother" protection. Once part of the Ot
toman empire, Albania's independence has been chal
lenged numerous times — most recently when Marshal
Tito came to power after World War II and sought to in
corporate the country into Yugoslavia.
Albania is the kind of weak state that needs alliances
to survive. Where it will find them with a policy of
studied hostility toward both the Communist and non-
Communist powers is an intriguing question for studen
ts of Balkan politics — and a potentially upsetting issue
as the advanced age of Marshal Tito portends an
historic change in Yugoslavia.
would-be voters as instant registration might attract
Advance registration is what keeps the balloting
process as orderly as it is.
As we see it, the current debate over the procedural
details of election-day registration is only water over
the dam. We disagree with Mr. Carter's original premise
that the way to get a more respectable turnout for elec
tions is to encourage spur-of-the-moment participation
in a democratic process that involves more than
showing up to cast a ballot. If there's apathy on election
day, it's because our parties and their candidates, and
government itself, aren't keeping more citizens tuned in
to the importance of making informed political
decisions.
The problem isn't with the registration system, but
with Americans who abdicate a fundamental duty of
citizenship. Changing the election laws won't cure that
problem.
Russians. Libya, with its oil revenues, has become a
powerful force in the rejectionist front that opposes a
negotiated settlement with Israel.
The diverging philosophies of Mr. Sadat and Gen.
Khadafy are enough to generate much more than
disputes along a desert border. It was rumored, for in
stance, that Mr. Sadat may have blown up the border af
fair in hopes of sparking a coup against Gen. Khadafy,
whom he has accused of fomenting sabotage in Egypt
and neighboring Sudan. Its a safe bet that the eagerness
of Yasir Arafat of the Palestine Liberation Organization
to cool off the fighting arose from his fear that a useful
ally of the PLO might go under if the war continued.
Mr. Sadat once likened the Libyan strongman to a fly
buzzing around his head —a fly he intended to swat if
the opportunity arose. It would appear that his fly
swatter missed, although the terms of the cease-fire
may put some restraint on Gen. Khadafy's buzzing in the
future.
The Arab League has shown a remarkable ability to
smooth over rivalry and outright hostility between Arab
nations. The common cause against Israel has provided
the spur, and no doubt helped persuade Mr. Sadat and
Gen. Khadafy to cool it. With Libya's Russian military ad
visers potentially in the line of fire, the consequences
could be more grave than a breach in Arab ranks. The
smoldering war between Arabs and Jews is not the only
invitation to disaster in the Middle East. A clash that
sheds Russian blood could light a fuse leading to —
who knows what.
After public financing of the presidential campaigns
was ordered in 1976, the special interest money (cut off
from direct access to the White House) was rechannel
ed to the Congress. Favorite congressmen holding
power positions in the committee structure received
large sums from the special interests under their pur
view.
Campaigns cost money. If the public won’t pay for
them, the special interests will. That is why the Senate
should pass the public financing bill for congressional
campaigns.
L eo S. Mallard
Bias against the elderly
Rep. Paul Findley, Republican of
Illinois, a thoughtful and dedicated
legislator, says that “mandatory re
tirement is the last remaining legal
form of discrimination in our
society.”
It may not be the last legal form,
but it certainly is one of them. Un
fortunately, the problem of how best
to eliminate discrimination against
the elderly without creating other in
justices continues to elude the
R
V' \ \ Im r
wfwi
*jMwi J)
Letters to the editor
Breeder reactor needed
Dear Mr. Mallard:
I would like to commend you for
the article, “breeder Reactor: Yes”,
that appeared in the July 28. 1977
edition of The Covington News. The
development of the liquid metal fast
breeder reactor (LMFBR),
associated fuel reprocessing in
dustry, and waste management
capabilities is essential to the general
welfare and security of the people of
the United States.
Nuclear power and the use of coal
for electricity generation are the only
alternatives to U.S. dependence on
imported oil. To efficiently utilize
our uranium resources we must
proceed quickly with both the
breeder reactor and reprocessing of
spent nuclear fuel.
In my opinion, complete depen
dency on coal for electricity
generation would not be prudent
until we have a better understanding
of environmental impacts of coal
Amy Carter was greeted by one of her favorite characters. Mr. Rabbit, when she recently visited
Six Flags Over Georgia The President's 9-year-old daughter was chaperoned by her brother Jack
and his family Amy often visited the amusement park when her father was governor but it was her
first visit since she had been living in the White House. (PRN)
nation.
The solution proposed by Rep.
Findley, Rep. Claude Pepper,
Democrat of Florida, and 107 other
sponsors of a bill in the House of Re
presentatives would be a federal law
to prohibit cities, states and private
employers from regulating retire
ment before the age of 70. The re
tirement age for most federal em
ployes would be raised from 65 to
70.
utilization, including possible ad
verse effects of carbon dioxide and
other effluent releases.
As your editorial article pointed
out, the advantages of the breeder
reactor significantly outweigh the
potential risks of plutonium going
astray. I appreciate your “telling it
like it is".
As a personal note, my wife, Gina,
and I enjoy reading The Covington
News every week. We are natives of
Newton County. Receiving The
Covington News keeps us aware of
happenings “at home”.
Yours truly,
W. F. Kitchens
COOKING POTATOES
Potatoes retain nutrients better if
they are cooked whole. Extension
Service home economists say
steaming is also an excellent way to
help potatoes conserve their
nutrients.
PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER VISITS SIX FLAGS
At the present time there are no
laws mandating retirement in
private industry. Full Social Security
benefits at the age of 65 usually
induce many to opt for rocking
chairs. Otherwise retirement policies
are the product of the collective bar
gaining system.
Thus, even if Congress passes the
senior citizen retirement bill, private
industry and labor could continue to
reach whatever agreements they
pleased. What the law would do,
however, is entrench more strongly
the concept that the elderly should
be put out to pasture at a certain age.
Uncertain about this, as well as the
philosophical questions that the
measure has raised, congressmen
appear to favor a go-slow approach
so that a two-year study of retire
ment can be concluded.
Congress also is faced with some
very pragmatic pressure from the
Social Security officials. Social
Security has unfunded liabilities as
high as $4 trillion. Unless something
is done the program will require con
fiscatory taxes. Or it will have to dip
generously into general fund
revenues. If the retirement age is
raised to 68 the estimated rate of in
crease in Social Security taxes in the
next 75 years will be 3.3 percent. If
the retirement age remains 65, the
estimated increase will be about 8
percent. Superficially, a higher re
tirement age is thus politically at
tractive to congressmen.
However, if they dig deeper into
political nuances congressmen will
encounter different factors. For
example, only 7 percent of those who
now are forced to retire at 65 would
have preferred to stay on. Moreover,
there is a growing national trend
toward earlier retirement, particu
larly among blue-collar workers.
And finally, the crisis of high unem
ployment among youth could worsen
if Americans work longer.
Most of the external political pres
sure for extending the retirement age
is coming from senior citizen groups
who understandably are angry that
they are considered unproductive
and useless.
We don’t sympathize with the
Social Security people. The solution
to their problems is not to extend
working years of the labor force.
We do believe that senior citizens
who have retired have a problem. At
the same time we suggest to them
that if forced retirement at age 65 is
discriminatory, so is forced retire
ment at 70. To us, the best approach
to the problem would be to have
older people work as long as they
want to, or as long as they can make
meaningful contributions to our
society.
Since that determination can never
be made by government because of
the thousands of variables involved,
it should be left to the private arena.
In its study, the government should
look at how best it can help private
institutions address the problem.
And senior citizens should concern
trate their efforts in the thousands of
annual collective bargaining agree
ments that occur in the United
States.
In an American society that now is
acutely sensitized to discrimination
and injustices, they should do well. 7*
