Milford chronicle., 1958-03-14
CONGRESS SHOULD ACT
President EisenhOwer, at his most

CONGRESS SHOULD ACT
President Eisenhower at his most recent
news conference, told reporters that he had
private understanding with Vice President
Richard Nixon as to what the Vice Presi-
dent would do in case he was disabled. This
is pertinent question since the President
has suffered several serious illnesses and is
now being advised to take frequent vaca-
tions.
However, this question is one which
should be resolved by Congress. The Consti-
tuition provides little information outlining
the duties of the Vice President, or anyone
else, in the case of Presidential disability.
1t is obviously the responsibility of Congress
to delineate the lines of responsibility in this
sphere.
AS was the case with pay-teevision,
when Congress declined to exert its author
ity until the Federal Communication Com
mission had obviously overstepped its bounds,
Congress is now delaying enactment of
Constitutional amendment which would
make quite clear what steps and arrange
ments were to be made in case the Presi-
dent of the United States is disabled.
A Constitutional amendment requires
the approval of both Houses of Congress, by
a two-thirds majority, and the ratification of
three-fourths of the states. Though most
, people do not know it, Constitutional
amendment can be originated in the states,
but the former way. is the most often en-
plOyed.
1t seems obvious that Congress cannot
dodge its responsibility in the present situ-
alton. The security and welfare of the Am
erican people cannot be left to private ar
rangement between the President and Vice
President, no matter who these individuals
are.
We sincerely hope nothing will happen
to Mr.. Eisenhower, and that he will be able
to devote his time to the problems which con-
front the United States, both nationally and
internationally We also think Vice Presi-
dent Richard Nixon can do his part along
this line. But clariication of the intent
and wishes of the American people is desir-
ed in the question of Presidential disability,
and now is obviously the time for Congress
to act. We urge every member of Congress
to take the bull by the horns and get the
job done.
THE COMMUNITY LIFE RECORDER
In honor of National Newspaper Week,
the Putnam County Courier of Carmel, New
York, sponsored an essay contest among
high school students. The assigned topic was
"What My. Hometown Newspaper Means to-
Me-" A distinguished panel of judges chose
the winner. She is Estelle Duhrels, of Car
MEL and her essay was devoted to what the
hometown paper means to an average, busy
teenager.
I Miss Duhrels listed many features of the
paper that help her keep contact with the
community = vital statistics, social and
church notes, news of sports and entertain
ment, the comings and goings of people, and
so on. Then at the end she said: "The home
town newspaper is an essential part of the
American Way of Life 1t stresses the i'm
portance of the everyday citizen in the mod
ern world, and am one of them!
That is an interesting and accurate point
I.~.~1, -
institution. Nothing duplicates it, nothing
can take its place. 1t provides running his
tory of its community, and of the people
whose lives influence the community in one
fashion or another. 1t is the backbone of
community life and progress.
%S~S%1
SCRAP THE DELUSION
Authoritative sources report that govern
ment spending, federal, state and local, will
rise this year from the present annual rate
of some $120 billion and that this will be
powerful prop" which we can count on to
hold up our economy. But where will this
money come from? Little of it will be "new
money, created through deficit financing,
which would certainly be stimulating but
would also further reduce the value of the
dollar and encourage individual and national
irresponsibility. Instead, this money will be
taken from people by taxation in thousands
of guiSeS, and when spent by government
will certainly be no prop. Had it been left
with those who earned it, it would, for the
most part, have been spent anyway and
certainly with far more satisfaction and eff
feet.
The necessary expenses of government
are very high. The essential costs of this
country's survival and position of world
leadership are great. But it's time to scrap
the deusion that growing big government
with its ever swelling spending and taxa
tion can prop" up anything. 1t can but lead