Editorial
Farmingdale Village officials should be complimented
on the acquisition and development of the
plot adjoining Village Hall.
Work is well along on a beautiful village green, a
park, which will not only enhance the entire area, but
will provide a place of r e s t and beauty.
The old building, an eye sore, to say the leastf is
now gone. The large t r e e s were kept, that were previously
hidden and unnoticed.
The excellence of the architectural design is
even more praiseworth due to the small size of the
plot.
The architect and the village fathers have certainly
converted the plot into an unbelievable place of
beauty. They a r e to be commended.
Anyone who has not voted within the past two
y e a r s , or who has changed his residence should
register on Friday or Saturday of this week for the
November elections. On Friday registration is from
12 noon to 10 p. m. and on Saturday from 7 a. m. to
10 p. m.
Although there is some apathy about the November
elections, the right to exercise ones
voting privilege should not be forfeited. Come
November, when you may feel more strongly about
casting your ballot. Those who a r e not registered
will be left powerless.
Del Guidice Seeks Power
Limitations Of President
Michael J. Del Giudice, Democratic
Candidate for Congress in
Nassau's 4th District, a post now
held by Congressman John W.
Wydler, proposed the introduction
of a bill into Congress
which would amend the Constitution
of the United States to
limit the powers of the President
to engage American troops
in war. He called for the immediate
appointment of a Military
Evaluation Commission by
the President to study the process
of Congressional and Preside
ntail war- making powers and to
propose the specific contents of a
constitutional amendment.
" Our country is deeply disturbed
by the tragic war in Vietnam,"
Del Giudice declared.
" Major candidates and all citizens
demand that there be no
more Vietnams."
" But there is only one way
to insure that there be no more
unpopular wars and that is that
the people, through a Congressional
decision to declare war,
feel that they fully support the
war. It will be incumbent upon
the public to make their views
known through letters and petitions
to their representatives,"
Del Giudice said.
" This should not be Johnson's
war or McNamara's war. One
man should not decide that $ 35
billion and 600,000 men should
be sent to fight a war abroad.
One man should not be responsible
for the death of 25,000
Americans and the maiming of
hundreds of thousands of people.
Congress has not officially declared
war in Vietnam. Lacking
this declaration, the President
still is able to carry out these
massive movement of troops and
resources.
THE WASHINGTON
111 1 vjiij By Congressman
I f A I V l l John W. Wydler
Fourth Congressional District
When the Supreme Court suddenly
discovered and announced
the doctrine of " one man, one
vote" it created difficulties of
reapportionment for most of the
States and many localities. It
caused no trouble for the United
States Senate where a Senator
may represent anywhere from a
few hundred thousand to 16 million
people.
But the pure doctrine of " one
man, one vote," means more
than apportioning to get equal
representation, ft means thatev-ery
vote mjst be counted and
that requires the absence of
fraud, particularly in big cities.
Those who profess the doctrine
should be : bting for the
"( lean Election 11" designed
to tighten up election reporting
procedures. So far, however, the
Administration and the Democratic
leadership in Congress
have refused to let the bill come
to a vote. They have used " procedural
filibustering" to tie it
up.
The election reform bill ( II. H.
11233) completely overhauls the
Federal election laws pertaining
Page 4
to campaign fund - raising and
spending in Federal elections.
The bill repeals the existing
limitations on expenditures by
candidates and political committees,
retains the present
$ 5,000 limit on individual contributions
and applies in the aggregate
to the candidate and the
committees supportingthecandidate,
requires comprehensive
and detailed reports of campaign
finances on a periodic basis, e s tablishes
a five- member bipartisan
Federal Flections Commission,
and prohibits the use of
political contributions for personal
purposes.
The American people m ist be
provided with an election process
that commands respect and
confidence. Promises, details of
past performance, hopes for the
future that are hammered out on
the anvil of debate will provide
the A m3rican people with a meaningful
record upon which an
enlightened choice can be nude.
Thereafter, this choice must be
registered accurately in an election
process that is above reproach.
College News
Alice Burns of 145 MainStreet
and Constance Beebe of 50 Wall
St., Farmingdale are freshman
students enrolled at Mercyhurst
College, Erie, Pennsylvania.
Barry Gottlieb, of 120 North
Drive, North Massapequa, a
graduate of Farmingdale High
School, is a freshman at Brown
University.
Yolanda Foti, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Vincent Foti of 135A
East Drive, North Massapequa,
and Dennis Palm, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Harry Palm of 59 Van-dewater
S t r e e t , Farmingdale,
were among the 22 students selected
to implement the 1968
Freshman Orientation Program
at Southampton College of Long
Island University. Yolanda is a
senior majoring in English, and
Dennis is a senior Psychology
major. They were chosen from
more than 70 applicants by the
Orientation Committee, a standing
committee of the Student Government
Association.
ARMED FORCES
Sergeant George E. Regan Jr.,
son of George E. Regan Sr. of
104 Lanbert Ave., Farmingdale,
is a member of the 3rd Air Division
that has earned the United
States Air Force Outstanding Unit
Award.
Sergeant Regan, a personnel
specialist assigned at l'- Tapao
Airfield, Thailand, will wear the
distinctive service ribbon to
mark his affiliation with the unit.
The division was cited for exceptionally
meritorious service
while engaged in military operations
against the enemy in Southeast
Asia from March 1966 to
March 1968.
The sergeant is a 1964 graduate
of Farmingdale Senior High
School.
* * *
Army Private First Class
Robert O'Neill, 23. son of Mr.
and Mrs. Eugene A. O'Neill,
33 Jefferson Road, Farmingdale,
was assigned to the 25th Infantry
Division near Cu Chi,
Vietnam, as a construction engineer.
* * *
Robert P. Mancuso, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Philip J. Mancuso, 87
Intervale Ave., Farmingdale, has
been promoted to airman first
class in the United States Air
Force.
Airman Mancuso, an administrative
specialist at Eglin Air
Force Base, Florida, is a member
of the Tactical Air Command.
He is a 1967 graduate of Farmingdale
Senior High School.
Datebook
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
Registration for voting
12 noon to 10 p. m.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5
Registration for voting
7 a. m. to 10 p. m.
1: 30 p. m MainStreet PTA ' Father
is a Bachelor*
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6
7: 30 p. m. Jones BeachStargazers
Long Island State Park Commission.
West End Beach # 2
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7
8 p. m. Columbiettes, Farming-dale
Council. Morton Street,
Farmingdale
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8
8: 30 p. m. Farmingdale Public
Library Board of Trustee,
South Farmingdale Branch.
8: 30 p. m. Sisterhood Farming-dale
Jewish Center, 425 Fulton
Street, Fanmingdale
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9
7 p. m. Hunter Safety Course,
VFW Hall, 635 South Main
Street, Farmingdale. Instructor:
Nicholas J. Cordone.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10
11 a. m. Dr. Joyce Brothers,
Roosevelt Hall. State University
Agricultural and Technical
College at Farmingdale.
8: 30 p. m. Guy Valentine, Assistant
Principal of Weldon F.
Howitt will outline educational
benefits under new GI Bill,
VFW Hall, 635 Main Street.
Farmingdale.
A news story of particular
interest appeared in the New
York Times last week regarding
a teacher who had declined
to lead his class in the pledge
of allegiance to the flag. The
teacher was suspended from his
duties, and a hearing held before
a trial examiner. The
hearing disclosed that the teacher
was opposed not to the flag
as a symbol but to the meaningless
repetition of words by
rote. He regarded the requirement
to pledge as equivalent to
taking a loyalty oath, and as
a citizen, did not want his loyalty
questioned. In context to
the racial strife and war protests
that we are presently experiencing,
he felt that the
description of the nation as
" indivisible" was embarrassing
and hypocritical.
A careful study of children
reciting the pledge of allegiance
was undertaken some time ago
and it was observed that very
few children really understood
the meaning of the pledge. For
example, instead of one , child
saying, " This land of liberty,"
he said, " This land of liver and
tea". It would be interesting to
determine if our children really
understand the meaning of the
pledge.
The larger issue is, does the
recitation of noble words alone
promote patriotism? A sampling
of opinions ranges from those
who believe in the teacher's right
to refrain from reciting the
pledge, to those who feel that
reciting the pledge should be
required by law. This last opinion
is a proposal for legislated
patriotism. The desire here appears
to be the adherence to a
set of patriotic rules, with no
effort to instill patriotic feeling
from within. Patriotism is love
of one's country, and love cannot
be legislated.
We believe that the teacher's
criticism was not due to a lack
of patriotism, but was prompted
by love for his country, which
compelled him to object to
policy. However, his position is
indefensible, for no one has the
right to proclaim himself a
one- man censor, which is the
effect of his refusal to lead
his class in the pledge. The
school's policy can be refuted,
but must be followed until
changed. Policy cannot be determined
by the individual. This
includes teachers, Board members,
vocal parents at Board
meetings, and self- serving
groups.
Capitol Report
By Kepjames Grover | p j j j n]
Second Congressional District —
Perhaps because this is a
Presidential election year, there
has been a major scare campaign
conducted among our older A-mericans.
Again and again,
rumors have been spread to the
effect that Social Security funds
were going to be transferred to
the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare and that
these paymants would be distributed
on the basis of need,
rather than as a matter of right.
And the Democratic national
campaign has hinted that Republican
control of Washington
would mean elimination of Social
Security.
I have attempted in past newsletters
to debunk the first rumor.
Such legislation was proposed but
it has been locked in committee.
There is no immediate danger
that Social Security funds would
become part of another welfare
program. And I question that
looking to expand the multitudinous
welfare programs with which we
already faced.
With regard to charges by
former Postmaster General
Lawrence O'Brien , Mr.
Humphrey's campaign manager,
that Social Security would be
endangered by a Republican administration,
I can only say that
his judgment here is no sounder
than was his operation of the
Post Office Department.
For one thing, Social Security
is not going to be cut back
by either of the major parties.
Rather, it will continue to be
expanded to meet the rising cost
of living and I am quite sure
that this will be the case under
either a Democratic or Republican
administration. I have
been, incidentally, a supporter
of a GOP- sponsored program to
tie Social Security benefits to
the cost of living under a formula
which would not require increasing
the Social Security tax. Under
the 1954 Social Security Act,
enacted by the Eisenhower- Nixon
administration, Social Security
coverage was extended to include
an additional 10,000,000persons.
That same law increased mini-mam
benefits for individuals
from $ 85 to $ 108.50 a month and
family benefits from $ 168.75 to
$ 200 and increased the amount
which retired persons can earn
without losing benefits from $ 900
to $ 1,200 a year. The last year
of the Eisenhower- Nixon administration
saw further liberalization
in earnings allowances.
Benefit payments for Social Security
increased from $ 2.1 -
billion in 1952, the last Truman
year. to $ 11.2 - billion in 1960,
. the last year of Ike's stay in
the White House.
Mr. O'Brien has no cause for
pride in this scare campaign.
Our older citizens, and all of
us reach this category sooner or
later if we live long enough,
should rest easy in the knowledge
that Social Security payments
have nowhere to go but up.
JRormtagftals ( Dluwiw
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Farmingdale OBSERVER - Thursday, October 3, 1968
