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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1990
f The Houston Home |
Journal
The Houston Home Journal
OFFICIAL ORGAN, CUV OF PERRY AND HOUSTON
COUNTY, GEORGIA, SINCE 1870
PUBLISHED EACH WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING
807 CARROLL ST„ P.O. DRAWER M, PERRY, GA. 31069
TELEPHONE: (912) 987-1823
The Houston Home Journal (USPS 252-780) is published biweekly for $lB
per year by the Houston Home Journal, Inc., 807 Carroll St., Perry, Ga.
31069, Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga. POSTMASTER: Send
address change to The Houston Home Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga.
31069,
ROY H. PARK, President & Chairman jf the Board, Park Newspapers
JAMES B KERCE
Editor & General Manager
JAN HAMPTON TERESA HAWK
Managing Editor Advertising Manager
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Why are prices still up?
At the end of the first week in December wholesale oil
prices dropped sharply—following the announcement from
Iraq that all hostages would be released and hope
concerning the diplomatic initiative launched by President
Bush.
Motorists have noted that when wholesale prices rise,
many gas stations hike pump prices-on orders from oil
companies- the next day. When prices decline, there's no
such reaction.
The oil companies can earn millions in excess profits
between now and the end of this month by keeping prices
high-gouging the motoring public during much holiday
driving.
U.S. should get more help
The United States has committed practically all of its best
combat troops to Saudi Arabia; the number will reach
430,000 next month.
This is the force President Bush threatens to use to attack
Iraqi forces in occupied Kuwait-a move opposed by most
Americans, impartial polls show.
Our Arab allies, officially aligned with us against Iraq's
Saddam Hussein, field a combined total of approximately
two million troops. Only twenty thousand have joined us
in Saudi Arabia.
If these Arab countries are really solidly with us, why
have they not committed a sizeable force? The truth is
many in the Arab world, perhaps a majority, secretly
sympathize with Hussein. They usually agree when he
says the Palestinians have been and are being scandalously
treated by Israel, that should return occupied Arab land,
and that this crisis should also be a topic of negotiations.
So, are many of these 450,000 young Americans to be
sacrificed in an Arab fight that our Arab allies themselves
are largely shying away from? Can anyone explain and
justify this to parents, wives and families of those who
might die?
An enjoyable Yule custom
The custom of singing Christmas carols, still alive in
some areas of the country, came to us from England. It
was, for a time, banned in Puritan New England.
The custom included the placing of candles in windows.
Caroling groups would often walk neighborhoods and
sing outside these windows. This custom was popular in
the South even when Puritan New England banned carol
ing.
In the age of TV and a fast pace of life, caroling is heard
less and less. But it's a delightful, enjoyable Christmas
custom.
Come On Granddaddy Is Going
To Tell Us The Story About ‘The Gingrich Who Stole
Christmas.'”
PERRY, GEORGIA'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1870-FQR COVERAGE OF YOUR EVENTS, CALL 987-1823
The Ghost Os Christmases Past
Andrea bids us a fond farewell
It seems that this is the second
good-bye column our readers arc
having to face in as many weeks.
Last week, Brian Hite, an excellent
w’ritcr and kindred spirit bid our of
fice adieu. This week it is my turn.
I am not leaving entirely. Until a
replacement can be found, I will
write part lime from my home.
Many of the people who see me
now will continue to for a while.
I am leaving not for the educa
tional reasons Brian is, 1 am leav
ing because my pregnancy will no
longer let me do my job.
I can't begin to go over the
memories only a year in a place
like The Houston Home Journal
foils- Question: What do you want most for
Oil CCI IdltV. Christmas?
~„4 .
Stacy Molleson:
"I want a color T.V."
Edwin Allen:
"I want a music tie just like
Mr. Hartman’s."
Perry viewpoint
J-
Andrea Sellers
HHJ Staff Writer
brings.
I do remember my very first re
porting assignment, the FFA Hog
Show. It was an eye opener for a
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Amy Passinault:
"I really want a "Hush Little
Baby.’"
lAk
ik^.
Lindsey Bell:
"I want a color T.V. and a
trampoline."
city girl like me. But 1 met Tim
Lewis there, and he has been a good
friend since.
Not two days later. Senator Sam
Nunn showed up at Perry Middle. I
expected to be passed over for
someone more experienced. I'll be
darned if I didn't gel to go and cover
it.
Since then, I have done and seen
a lot. J.J. Cooper and I spent sev
eral hours in a foxhole while he
shot the daylights out of commies.
We came home victorious, tired
and hot, but we had a lot of fun at
the 48th MOBB's annual field day
Please see ANDREA, page 6A
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• -4-
Yashlka Whitfield:
"I want a trampoline."
■
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Megan Eckhardt:
"I want ’A New Kids’ carry
bag.”
rSh
Jim Kerce
HHJ Editor
Bush is backed
into corner on
Mid-East crisis
With the escalating war of
words between President George
Bush and Iraq's Saddam Hus
sein reaching a sabre-rattling
level, a growing number of peo
ple have a deepening concern
that we will soon be propelled
into a full-scale war in the
Middle East.
I am one of those.
The two leaders have backed
themselves into a comer and
have put the lives of a million
troops on the line. Mr. Bush re
cently tried to save face by of
fering to negotiate a diplomatic
settlement. To date the face-sav
ing move by the president has
been rejected.
Now he badly needs a solution
to emerge undamaged from this
crisis. In a move to erase an im
age as a political "wimp," Mr.
Bush has lately done everything
he can to disprove this lal>cl and
show he's tough.
I fear he's gone too far.
He threatens to violate the
Constitution by ordering U.S.
armed forces to attack Iraqi
troops without first gaining con
gressional approval.
Rather than ask for an official
declaration of war on Mr.
Bush's Jan. 15 deadline for
withdrawal from Kuwait, the
president has pledged only to
"consult" Congress.
But, the Constitution provides
only Congress has the power to
declare war. If one orders
450,000 U.S. troops into mili
tary action against another coun
try's armed forces, what else is
it—but war?
The only authority the
Constitution gives Bush to use
the armed forces without autho
rization from Congress is to
repel a sudden attack. Even after
the sudden attack at Pearl Harbor
in 1941, President Roosevelt
went to Congress for a
declaration of war against Japan.
(Three days later Hitler declared
war on the U.S.)
A number of congressmen,
joined by eminent law profes
sors, have gone to court seeking
a judicial declaration barring the
president from beginning a war
on his own initiative in the Mid
dle East. To date no ruling has
been handed down and we ap
pear headed toward a Jan. 15
show down with Iraq.
So, Mr. Bush, with his tough
talk, anger and major effort to
safeguard Israel, has seemed
anything but a wimp. But, he's
backed himself into a delicate
comer, politically and militarily.
He has time and time again said
he would not allow Hussein to
remain in Kuwait, despite opin
ion polls which show the major
ity of Americans aren't willing to
fight a war over Kuwait.
Mr. Bush's anger was finally
restrained somewhat by the more
reasoned approach of some of
his allies, which led to the recent
diplomatic initiative.
But, at this writing, Hussein is
refusing to budge. What can Mr.
Bush do?
His only option seems to be to 4
violate die Constitution and order
an attack. If that attack drags on
into a major conflict, the Presi
dent will have committed politi
cal suicide.
Thus Mr. Bush is in a light
comer where he either must
gamble that he can win a quick
war or back down from his
threat if Hussein refuses to
evacuate Kuwait.
We must all hope Hussein
provides the U.S. President a
face-saving out.
The fatal ball is now in Hus
sein's court.