Milford chronicle., 1958-03-21
ON LOSING u. S. PLANES

Korea and North Korea.
However, tie American aircraft shot
down, an F-86 Sabrejet, was shot down by
nti-aircraft-which would indicate that it
was going astray. Another Sabrejet was al
most shot down by the enemy anti-aircraft
fire.
u. S. aircraft are involved in too many
incidents" with Communist defenses. The
Communists are certainly to blame for
shooting down our aircraft, such as their
barbarism of August, 1856, when sixteen
Americans died in a Navy patrol plane shot
down by the Chinese Communists
However, our planes are not always
where they should be- and this is the cause
of some of the trouble. No doubt the Com
munists, as well as our own air force, are
constantly seeking reconnaissance photo
graphs and reconnaissance information from
across the border"
On training flights, however, there is lit
tie excuse for us violating Communist ter
ritory. When our aircraft are shot down by
enemy anti-aircraft fire, it is obvious that
they are treSpaSSing somewhat, or at least
taking an unnecessary chance, since Com
munist anti-aircraft guns cannot operate
anywhere except on Communist territory.
While we regret to see u. S. airmen kill
ed, because they fly on or too near COmmun-
ist territory, that does not excuse Commun-
list brutality in the killing of these airmen.
But that is a barbarism with which we are
quite familiar, and ample allowance for this
ruthlessness should be made when training
missions are involved.
We have no quarrel with Air Force Off
GERS if they wish to take a calculated risk
for Intelligence or reconnaissance purposes
On training flights, however, it would seem
that more caution should be observed, or
more protection afforded. When our planes
are shot down by enemy fighters, we have
suggested that they be defended, and that
they carry their own fighter escort. When
they are shot down by ground fire, however,
the conclusion is almost .inescapable that
they were flying too close to Communist
guns, on Communist territory.
N%os
WILL CONGRESS SAVE S33OOOO, 600?
Is the saving of more than $500 million
worthwhile to the government? The tax
payers, bearing crushing tax load and fac
ed with rising spending, will answer that
question with an overwhelming Yes vote.
According to no less an authority than
Senator William F. Knowland the minority
leader, that saving can be accomplished if |
Congress will approve partnership develop
ment of an irrigation and power project in
California.
It's name is the Trinity River Project
Under the partnership plan, taxpaYlng prl- |
Electric Company, would install, finance and
operate the necessary power facilities, pay
ing the government for the falling water
used. Senator Knowland has issued state
ment approving the plan Under it, he says, |
over 50-year period partnership deve- |
opment would benefit the taxpayers of Cal
ifornia and the nation as follows: AZ Sc
million dollars in construction costs, b. at
least 165 million dollars additional net rev.
enue to the Central Valley project, g 83
million dollars in tax revenues: Total, an
estimated 304 million dollars. Partnership
development would also contribute to state,
county and local governments another 81
million dollars in tax revenue"
Secretary of the Interior Seaton has al
so approved the plan, along with many other
responsible authorities. So, you may ask
what's holding back approval? The answer
is simple: 1t is being held back by the "block-
aders s"-those who want power development /
by the federal government, on tax-financed,
tax-subsidized, tax-free basis.
There's nothing unique in this. The same
thing has been and is true of similar pro-
jects in many sections of the country. And
the question at stake goes far beyond just
power. It's question of whether we're 60
ing to keep our system of free enterprise on
which free, representative government rests
or Supplant it with a SOcialized system in
which government is the master of us all.
6Se&S
MAKE PARCEL POST PAY
Freight Forwarders Institute has made
proposal to the Senate Post Office Com
mittee, which has been considering increases
in charges for various postal services. The
Institute suggests that Congress obtain add
ed revenues from parcel post, which is the
fourth class mail category.
One reason given by the Institute in
substantiation of its view is interesting
Parcel post, it said in effect, is a commercial
service, which is competitive with private
industry. Thus, it differs from the regular
mail services.
The Institute is on sound grounds here.
Parcel post was later conner to the roster
of jobs done by the postoffice. And when il |
was authorized, some thirty-odd years ago,
CONGRESS laid down certain StinnlatinnS One