Editorial
Farmingdale is fortunate in having many apartment
buildings which contribute tax dollars to the
community.
Village officials were wise in enforcing a strict
building code during their construction.
In recent weeks there have been complaints from
tenants in one of the apartment buildings built
prior to the enactment of construction ordinances.
The complaints charge that the building is being
allowed to deteriorate. Lack of supervision, leaky
roofs, improper electrical wiring and uneven floors,
are just a few of the charges leveled at the apartment
owners.
What the Village' now needs is a Housing Code,
with big enough teeth, so that village officials may
enforce their proper upkeep so that Farmingdale
apartments will not turn into slum or unsightly
areas.
The village Planning Board is in the process of
preparing a Housing Code. They should be encouraged
in the endeavor. The absence of a Housing
Code, and the possible deterioration of the
apartment buildings could have a direct bearing on
the entire neighborhood.
We were glad to see former Nassau County Executive
A. Holly Patterson come out in favor of
the John F. Kennedy Cultural Center. He seems
to be one of the few Republicans in favor of the
idea. We feel that Nassau County should have such
a cultural center. We are not so sure, as the Republicans
have indicated, that they should interpret
the recent election results as a mandate for severely-
pruning the budget.
The Old Bethpage Village Restoration should not
be another target for pruning either. Nassau County
has a long way to go in catching up in the area of
preserving historic treasures.
Washington Watch
FOURTH DISTRICT
By Rep. John W. Wydler
For many years I have fought
to save our precious Long Island
Wetlands. Last year I succeeded
in saving 15 irreplaceable acres
that the County of Nassau was
about to fill in and destroy in
Seaford.
We need Wetlands conservation
measures that will helppro-tect
these areas all across
America.
The Dingeli bill, H. R. 25, was
a bill which would have done this
for every State in the nation.
When the bill was in committee
last Spring, I spoke in favor of
it.
Two weeks ago the bill was
suddenly changed and in the new
form was reported out of
Committee. The change singled
out New York State so as to
base its Wetlands program on
old, incomplete and outdated
studies.
Chairman Dingeli realized that
New York State might not approve
of this and asked me to contact
them for their reaction. I did
this and the New York State Department
of Conservation studied
the new bill I sent them.
They infomred me and Chairman
Dingeli that they objected to
the new provision inserted in the
bill requiring New York State
to base its program on old studies
and that they wished to be part of
the new, comprehensive and complete
studies.
To have used the old studies
would have meant that the federal
government would be only protecting
Long Island Wetlands already
protected by State- local
conservation agreements. All
the unprotected Wetlands that
need help would have been excluded.
I discussed the State of New
York's objection with Chairman
Dingeli and suggested he withdraw
the new version of the bill.
I offered to bring representatives
of the New York State Conservation
Department to Washington
to meet with him and work out
suitable language.
The Chairman agreed to withdraw
the bill and I hope action will
be taken on it early in the New
Year. A properly revised bill,
or the original version of H. R.
25, will have my support.
It will preserve unprotected
Wetlands in all 50 States. It will
give the people of New York State
and Long Island the equal treatment
to which they are entitled.
^ farmtU0? iab © kamtrr
Published every Thursday by
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Frank J. Klesh - Caroline B. Klesh
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Letters To
The Editor
To the Editors:
We wish to express our sincere
thanks to all those who worked
so hard for us in the Farming-dale
Fire District election.
We would also like to thank
the voters of the District for
their support in our behalf.
Commissioners
Alfred J. Gutheil
Robert J. Steiner.
Dear Editor:
As an observer of the Mas-sapequa
Water District Election
on December 5, 1967, I wish to
set the record straight. Contrary
to what appeared in another local
newspaper, as a person who was
present for most of the entire
evening I can state unequivocally
that for a major part of the evening,
the incumbent candidate for
Water Commissioner shook
hands and talked to persons prior
to their voting. In addition, another
member of the Board, on
numerous occasions, introduced
the incumbent to his friends as
they came in to vote. This all
transpired within 15 feet of the
voting machine in the Massapequa
Water District.
While the outcome of the election
probably would not have been
different, I feel that such conduct
makes a complete farce of a
free and independent election.
I centrainly hope as a resident
of the Massapequa Water District
that this type of electioneering
and compaigning at the voting
booth does not occur in the future,
s/ Patrick Houser
Dear Editor:
The soundness and value of our
dollar works its way into every
phase of our lives and every
family's future. All wage
earners, pensioners, saving de-positers,
life insurance holders,
retirement and annuities planners
are affected by the fiscal
policy of the present administration.
Disregarding the obvious,
our political spenders continue
their debt- building and overspending,
here and abroad. Today
we are paying, the hard way,
for what former President Kennedy
conveniently called " Economic
Myths" and for President
Johnson's financial irresponsibility.
Money crisis caused the devaluation
of the English pound and
with self- serving politicians at
the helm in our Country, how long
will our hard- pressed taxpayers
allow the ever- mounting deficits,
pork- barrel politics, juggled
books and endless debt- ceiling
increases to continue. Double-talk
cannot shout away realities
and " Big Brother's" hand will
reach further and further into
taxpayers' pockets. If this is
what you want then continue to do
nothing, but, if it is not what you
want, then its time you did something*
like organizing to turn out
those responsible for financial
debauchery.
Francis A. Collins.
Dear Editor:
I wish to thank all the people
who voted for me in the recent
South Farmingdale Water District
election.
Ellsworth ' Doc' Allen
Dear Caroline and Frank:
In the spirit of the Holiday
Season, I want to extend to you
and the members of your staff
my best wishes for a joyful
holiday and a successful New
Year.
The year of 1967 has seen
greater demands placed on our
law enforcement officers due to
the general Increase in crime
throughout the nation. We in Nassau
County have experienced the
same upwarc trend and I want to
assure you that the Nassau County
Police Department will continue
to concentrate its efforts on the
curtailment of crime in our
county. As in the past, we are dependent
on your cooperation in
creating a public awareness and
gaining the- support of our citizens
in our crime prevention and
f
Capitol Report
By RepJames Grover
As this is being written, another
long and unproductive Congressional
year is coming to a
close. If adjournment has not already
been scheduled by the time
you read this, the Congressional
year will still have to end in
about another two weeks because
the Democrats who control Congress
have not yet managed to
rewrite the calendar to their
liking.
If the opening paragraph of
this essay strikes you as being
a bit acid, the impression is
correct. This Congressman has
during the past five years sat
through five of the longest Congressional
sessions in the history
of this nation and, with one
exception, they were as unproductive
as they were long. So,
perhaps it's about time to ask
which party is the party of reaction
and negativism, the Republican
or the Democrat.
Please note that the Democrat
party has enjoyed healthy majorities
in all of these sessions
and that all the leadership of
Congress is Democratic. What
we have seen during these years
is a breakdown in leadership.
And, as unhappy as the Republican
side is with the situation,
many younger Democrats are
equally unhappy.
The " Noes" from the Democratic
side have been little short
of thunderous, in opposition to
constructive Republican alternatives
and equally loud when
some of the younger, more active
members of Congress on both
sides have sought to be heard.
But it i s n t Republican votes which
block reform in this nation's election
campaign procedures. It isn't
Republican votes which block
• l r ~ — i " ^ T - i - i -| -• - i -
legislative reform so necessary
to modernize Congress. It isn't
Republican votes which have
failed to produce a stiff code of
Congressional ethics. With some
notable exceptions in this session
Republican efforts during the past
half dozen years to produce some
sort of constructive dialogue on
on legislation and on programs
have been fruitless in the face of
huge Democratic numerical majorities.
Legislation has not been
passed or rejected after a free
and open dialogue. It has died a
slow and lingering death in committee,
with no test of its merits
or demerits or it has been
steamrolled through, oftentimes
with limited and " gag- ruled"
debate.
Forget the cliches about reactionary
Republicans. Look instead
at the power of committee
chairmen in the House, many of
them men of long service and
heavy years and all too many
from the Southern bloc. These
men, who hold the power of
life and death over all legislation,
have all too often ruled
against any proposal for constructive
change — simply because
they oppose any change.
Why the complaint? Don't Congressmen
draw their pay whether
they accomplish anything for the
nation or they don't? Isn't it
easier to sit than to strive?
The answer to these questions
should be obvious when one surveys
the achievements of this
administration and Democratic-controlled
Congresses since 1960
— inflation, a widening war, lawlessness
and growing unrest
throughout the world. Enough
said.
People, Places
& Politics
• By Caroline Bunting Klesh** 0* 0* 0*^ m
Letters to Santa Claus sent to the North Pole via the Farming-dale
Post office show the strong influence of advertising with frequent
listing of name brands. Among the most sought- after items
are: Captain Action, Mister Peanut Butter Maker, Action Highway,
Silly Sand, Spill the Beans, Popeye Puppet, Twisting Barbie, James
Bond 007 kit; Susiehomemaker Vanity; Incredible Edibles; Baby-
Crawl- a- long; Johnny Astro; and Tricky Tommy Turtle.
Most of the letters are thoughtful with promises of leaving
cookies out for Santa Claus or other goodies.
One of the nicest letters read.
" Dear Santa Claus:
I am six years old and I have been a very good boy. When my
mommy was still at home, I helped her a lot. But God took my
mommy up to heaven to live with him, because she was too sick.
My daddy said that she is happy with God, but I still miss her.
Now I help my big sisters clean the house. My job is to dust and
dry the dishes. So you know that I am being real good.
Could you please bring me a Tonka Truck, Captain Action and
Give- a- show movie projector. I love you, Santa.
Hugs and Kisses,
Gary
Datebook
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16
11 a. m. to 5 p. m. Book Sale,
Friend of the Farmingdale Library,
South Farmingdale
branch library.
8: 30 p. m. Family Santa Claus
Costume Skating Christmas
Party, Syosset Community
Park.
1 p. m. Big Brothers of Farming -
dale Youth Board Christmas
party at Farmingdale State
Technical College.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17
7 p. m. Senior High Methodist
Youth Fellowship of Farming-dale
Methodist Church meeting.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 18
8: 30 p. m. Christmas party. St.
Kilian's Mothers Club, St. Ki-lian
Boychoir, Conklin Street
school auditorium.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19
8 p. m, Northedge String Ensemble
Band and Chorus, Northedge
PTA, Stewart Avenue, Beth-page.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20
12: 30 p. m. East Farmingdale Industrial
Association, Hearthstone
Restaurant.
enforcement endeavors.
Looking forward to a continuation
of your interest in law
enforcement and with best wishes
for the coming year, I am.
Francis B. Looney
Commissioner of Police.
Page 4 Farmingdale OBSERVER, Thursday, December 14, 1967
