The Clarendon Press, November 18, Page8
Anyway, Congress finally got on the ball about getting o
legislation passed to help alleviate the fuel shortage we seem to
be having. It's amazing what one little fuel shortage can do for a
bunch of legislators who have done very little or nothing about
the fuel situation before. The Alaskan pipeline, which had been
fought tooth and nail be thousands of ecology buffs, finally got
through Congress and will in all probability be OK'ed by the
president before too long. Another bill, giving the president
powers to take emergency measures in case fuel gets too low,
passed earlier, and it, too, will probably be signed by Nixon.
That these bills did get passed shows the speed our legislative
body can use if it so desires and if something is deemed
important by all those voting in Congress. But what hacks me off
is the fact that this shortage was completely unnecessary and
could very easily have been prevented, and in fact should have,
been prevented. There is no earthly reason that we should have
gone from the land of plenty to the land of zilch within a year's
time.
I hesitate to lay the blame upon the ecologist movement, but I
would guess that is where some of the blame must go. I am
somewhat of an ecology nut myself, and have worked a time or
two in a glass and aluminum recycling drive, so I know whereof I
speak, as the saying goes. But the squawk and scream by the
ecology people has evidently made many and manya voter or
politician ecology conscious, so that any bill like the Alaska
pipeline or bill favoring the big oil companies (perish the thought
that I should speak for the oil companies) was severely frowned
upon, and thus did not pass.
The big push in favor of the oil companies started on TV a few
months ago, when commercials started showing oil refineries in
green fields and in unpolluted lakes and all that. Then other
commercials of the same ilk came up, and suddenly the
ecologists were not sole possessors of public sympathy.
Anyway, what the whole kit and kaboodle boils down to is that
somewhere we are going to have to draw the line between
countryside and civilization. We must decide what amount of
spoilage is necessary for a decent economy and act accordingly.
And acting accordingly now is the main thing, since we have got
to get enough fuel for the winter. If people start going cold in
their own houses then we will really start to see some screaming.
And if I'm one of those getting cold, you'll see a lot of that
screaming done in print.
Fuel shortage forces
emergency shipment
The state of Texas, responding to a "serious" diesel fuel
shortage, has started directing emergency fuel shipments to
those in distress--a move not supposed to start until December.
Forced into early action by a failure of the federal program on
middle distillate (diesel, jet fuel, heating oil) allocations, the
Texas Railroad Commission is reacting tO a sudden increase this
week in emergency calls for fuel.
The shortage has spread from farm fields in the Panhandle to
oil drilling rigs to Texas shrimp boats stranded in Florida,
according to Alvin Askew of the Railroad Commission.
"We have farmers who have their crops,in the field, and their
tractors are sitting dead. They're just fiat out of fuel," he said.
"We have been unable to get relief from the federal
government, so we are doing it ourselves," Askew said
Wednesday. He said that he was confirmed privately that
Louisiana and Florida are taking similar action.
Askew said under the federal program, which is "failing
because of inadequate staffing," Texans were supposed to get
the same amount of distillate fuel in November as they got last
year.
Those who did not get enough fuel to meet their immediate
needs were authorized, beginning Dec. 1, to contact the Railroad
Commission. The state agency could then request the
Department of Interior to divert fuel to the emergency situation,
up to a limit of 10 per cent of the state's total fuel consumption,
called the "state reserve."
Askew, in charge of the state's emergency allocations, said he
has already directed fuel shipments this week, even though the
federal program lawfully has not begun.
"Everyone is short of fuel," Askew said in explaining the fuel
situation.
"The most imminent need is for agriculture. Many farmers
have problems that cannot be resolved," he said, in planting and
harvesting.
Askew said the Department of Interior regional office in
Houston, responsible for Texas and six other states, has only a
staff of four to handle all the mandatory allocations programs on
propane and middle distillates, plus the voluntary allocations of
gasoline. The Houston office is aided by a district office in
Denton. Texas problems that cannot be resolved are referred to
the Railroad Commission for emergency treatment.
Conservation urged
for new crop load
Farmers in Donley County who bring additional land into crop
production in 1974 are being urged to use sound conservation
practices.
Monty Sowers, district conservationist for the U.S. Soil
Conservation Service at Clarendon, said conservation measures
not only protect the soil from erosion but also increase
production.
Some people are predicting farmers will bring several
thousand acres of former 'set.aside' acreage back into crop
production in Texas in the next year. This is considered to be the
best and quickest way to check food price increases.
"But it's also the quickest way to increase dust storms,
sediment pollution, and other erosion problems unless sound
conservation measures are installed," Sowers pointed out.
"There Is a lot of land in our Soil and Water Conservation
District which can be used for crop land safely if managed
properly," be said. "Yet there are other soils which are so
susceptible to blowing or washing that they should never be used
for crop production." The conservationist said he hopes farmers
will use soil survey information available from his office before
putting new land in cultivation.
"Soil surveys have been made on the majority Of the land in
Donley County," Sowers said. "These surveys show which soils
are best suited for crop production and which soils are most
susceptible to erosion. They can also show which soils are most
productive."
SCS is giving top priority to helping farmers plan conservation
measures on new land brought into cultivation.' For information,
contact the local SCS office in Clarendon, telephone 874-2335.
Mu Gamma chapter aids drive
The Mu Gamma Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi will participate in
the 1973 Multiple Sclerosis Drive here Sunday afternoon.
Members of the chapter will go from door to door seeking
contributions for this cause.
Contacts will be made between 2 and 4 p.m.
Crises
Shortening
Crises
Oil
38 Oz Bottle
6Lb
c. $2.49 ._..$1.19
Kraft Whole Sour
Mayonaise Pickles
98¢
Jff Aunt Jemima
Peanut Butter Corn Meal
White or
18 OzJar 69¢ 00SLba,g 6
Ad Effective
Nov. 19 thru Nov. 24
Monday thru Saturday
CLOSED THANKSGIVI
Hunts Yellow Cling
Peaches
Sliced or 2/79¢
Halves
#2V2 Cans
Lucky Leaf Red Sour Pitted
Pie Cherries
.oo 2/79¢
Cans
2 Lb Bag
Lean & Tender Blade Chuck
USDA Good 8
CLIFFORD GROCERY
WITEt THIS COUPON
2 .pound Can of
o
| Maryland Club CoffB_e
f
$1.90
w.,o=oo.,o. $2.25
c.zxP,m NOV. 30, 1973
Each
ttuce
Arizona Large Firm Heads
1 Lb Cello Pkg
33¢
Beef Roast
et Potato
Canned Hams 4
Can "
L_.b.b
Colorado Red Delicious Pascal Large Stalks USDA Grade "A" Frozen Vacuum Wp
App les 4, Chicken i I _.ns ExtraNice;T2.; Lb '
19(00 ; 25 USDAGrade A Extra
9Oz00, 37
Ocean Spray k er_.s_ ..o4at
Cranbernes Shurfresh fully c ed No Bone
Armour Star
USDA Grade "A"
Self Basting
with butter
7
ttoss. W
t(
tt
IIIIIIIII IH
Arnlour
Treet
Can
Cranbe!ry Sauce 29¢_ 4Roll
Whole or Stra,ned 2 /€ 1 . Pk.g V
#300 Cans ql,/ ,,1,00 Tide Laundry Ajax Llqmd
--- Ii Ooter0ont00
None Such Deter?ent
M,nce Meat Giant SLze 83¢
CutRlte 125' Roll Delsey
Waxed Paper Bathroom
Tom Scott 13OzC00 7 2J=bo7
Mixed Nuts Rolls "
oz .., 4/4 9
Jell-o
Scott Paper
Towels
Ocean Spray
Marshmallow Cream
i Smuckers Strawberry PopsRite
Preserves eflA 14 Oz Cans Corn rl
18 Oz Jar U 0 J SE:;l00dBC00;de;sed 2 Q b Betty Crock
er
mm --- Evaporated Milk OOV ea
IWl
Bakers Shredded tql Milk Shurfine 'SAil Purpose"
Coconut 80z Pkg V Tall 5 Lb Bag "101 It
Flour /oV ,_,
Kraft Pint Jar Ass't Flavors
