Industry spokesmen: Chronic ills
affecting steel manufacturers
by JAMES A. WHITE
United Press International
NEW YORK — Most American businesses can look on the
recession like a hangover — it will quickly pass. Not so for the
steel industry.
The economic slump certainly will cut domestic steel ship
ments 10 percent, possibly 15-20 percent, this year. Even after
recovery, steel’s problems will remain. The industry’s weak
ness is chronic, with any real cure years away.
So said steel executives at the industry’s annual meeting
sponsored by the American Iron and Steel Institute last week
in New York. The message was not new-—just more strident in
placing the blame for steel’s woes on Washington rather than
Pittsburgh.
While foreign governments seemingly do nothing but help
their steelmakers, steelmen contend, Washington constantly
hurts domestic producers by allowing unfairly priced imports,
requiring tough environmental standards and taxing away the
money the industry needs to rebuild itself.
The result, they say, has been the loss of 100,000 domestic
jobs over the last decade and the prospect over the next decade
that the United States will become as dependent on foreign
steel as it is today on foreign oil.
“There seems to be a widespread misconception — a mis
conception evidently shared by some, not all, of the present
administration — that these trends are somehow magically
going to reverse themselves overnight,” said U.S. Steel Chair
man David M. Roderick in the keynote speech to 1,000 steel
executives.
The “some, not all” was added to Roderick’s prepared text to
soften the condemnation of the Carter administration. But
steel executives overall did little to mask displeasure with
Washington that time was being lost in taking the corrective
steps needed to revitalize the industry.
The industry believes it needs to spend $7 billion a year in
the 1980s to get out of its slump, compared with its $2.9 billion
annual average in the last decade. A forthcoming Washington
study on steel’s needs is expected to fix a lower price tag.
U.S. producers say they have to catch up with the new
investment made by foreign makers.
“Our problem with technology is not knowing what to do but
in having the resources to do it,” said William E. Dennis, vice
president of AISI, the industry’s chief trade association. The
U.S. industry, he said, “has been liquidating itself due to the
fact that depreciation and net income has been inadequate
over a decade to replace capacity.”
The problem feeds on itself. “The current image of the
industry as being low in profitability, capital-starved and a
government whipping boy does not make it an attractive place
for bright young people to pursue a career,” Dennis said.
Steel’s research investment also has been deflected in favor
of projects that promise a shorter-run payoff
' fM r RN '•'> <■—;
Some steelmen think the means are at hand to increase
efficiency.
“The industry must find ways to do a better job with what it
has and that means it must focus its attention not on invest
ment in new equipment but rather on more efficient use of
people,” said S. Edward Renner, vice president of Jones and
Laughlin Steel Corp.
Researchers from Canada’s Dominion Foundries and Steel
Ltd. said the industry can reduce its energy consumption by 30
percent if it puts today’s best know-how to work.
Whatever the industry does on its own, Lewis W. Foy, who
shortly will step down as chairman of Bethlehem Steel Corp.,
and other executives feel it won’t be enough without help from
Washington.
“Unless things change, the worst is yet to come,” Foy
warned. “It’s a bleak outlook but it may be inevitable unless
the government acts.”
Viewpoint
The Battalion Wednesday
Texas A&M University May 28, 1980
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Political system is the only viable
solution to problems ofminoritk
by ARNOLD SAWISLAK
United Press International
WASHINGTON — The day before the riots began in
Miami, the NAACP in New York announced a $500,000 prog
ram to register and get young blacks to the polls this year.
The two events are mentioned together because they have a
connection. From everything that has been said and written
about Miami, it appears that blacks there have little leadership
and even less political clout.
It would be foolish to say that there would have been no riot
in Miami had the blacks there been more powerful politically.
But it is almost sure that many of the complaints of Miami
blacks would have been dealt with had they wielded more
influence in and on government.
This is not civics book theory. It is based on fact. Blacks in
other cities — from Atlanta, Detroit, Newark and Los Angeles
for four—have pooled their political power and gotten results.
Those results included the election of black mayors, but
more than that they included a voice, often for the first time, in
the way those cities are run and in the distribution of public
resources. Perhaps more to the point, they frequently brought
reform of police departments and their dealings with minor
ities.
It is obvious that the problems of disadvantaged people in
this country cannot be solved solely by political action. It will
take far more than the election of blacks to public office to solve
the economic, educational, health, housing and social prob
lems of the nation’s minorities. It will take among other things,
intelligently planned, efficiently operated public programs
and a lot of money over a long period of time to make them
work.
During the 1960s, it was shown that the majority can It
shamed, cajoled or even frightened into providing some
minorities. But when the pressure is eased, the
peter out. More riots might start them up again,
might trigger even harsher repression.
, The political system provides the one legitimate way It
commit the country to long range solutions of social pro!
People who use their voting power to reward their friends ml
punish their enemies in this country usually get what te
want. Using the vote is considered the smart way town
That is what the NAACP is trying to impress on young black
in its registration and get-out-the-vote effort. It made da
from the start that the purpose of its campaign goes beyoi
simply signing up a lot of new voters —it wants to countertli
pressure now being applied on Congress to balance thefeden
budget at the expense of social programs.
Said Benjamin Hooks, executive director of the NAACf,
“The largest group of unregistered potential voters in
country today are our nation’s youth. Our political actio;
program therefore will specifically focus on registering mi
educating them and getting them to the polls.
“In effect, we will create a massive new army of voters wk
will answer those legislators who vote against their intereslii
the new budget.”
Many politicians won’t be impressed by Hooks’ words to P n P resi (1
year. But if the NAACP succeeds in building a voting blocd r enin &
young blacks in 1980, you can be sure attention will bepaidii
the next election year.
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by DICK WEST
United Press International
WASHINGTON — While economic and energy conditions
appear largely to blame for the current slump in new car sales,
gossips are whispering that America’s love affair with the auto
mobile is going sour.
I never stoop to talebearing myself. But if you find Lee
lacocca writing to Ann Landers, you’ll know the affair is at least
temporarily on the rocks.
Oh, well, it was swell while it lasted. Fabulous, in fact. As
celebrated in song and story, America’s love affair with the
automobile was so deep and abiding not even the Edsel could
put it asunder.
What’s to blame for the rift? As is so often the case when you
come to the end of an affair, you can’t really single out any one
thing as causing romance to fade.
Some experts in matters of the heart say the automobile had
become less sensitive to America’s needs and begun to take its
lover for granted. Other counselors in human-auto relations
suggest that for too long America was too blinded by love to
recognize its adored one’s faults.
Now, having finally discovered the automobile was less than
perfect, America feels betrayed.
There was a certain amount of immaturity in America’s
infatuation, they say. America needs to grow up and put aside
its foolish fancies and accept the automobile for what it is.
If these are the reasons for the estrangement, it’s as much
These are th
le cover-up i
ney General Jc
one’s fault as the other’s. Maybe it isn’t too late to patch thinji ji advisers I
up.
A trial separation may be the wisest course. That way
can see how they they get along without each other
perhaps be more willing to take each other back.
Both should see lawyers and try to work out an amicablt
settlement. While these situations are always messy, muchol ours and will
ohn Ehrlichn
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the strain and heartache can be ameliorated if financial bitter
ness can be avoided.
After all, America has been supporting the automobile for lours. Record
years. It certainly would not be fair, now that the bloom is of Id, but listen
the rose, for America simply to cast the automobile aside like [ Archives spc
an old shoe and leave it to shift for itself. lid the tapes
In Chrysler’s case, Congress has approved a program of Juality, and p<
government-guaranteed loans, but I should think Simon)
would be more equitable and appropriate.
Even if they aren’t hitting it off too well these days, ljust
can’t believe America and the automobile are headed for
Splitsville — not after all they have been through together.
It sounds more as if America were in a mid-life crisis, casting
goo-goo eyes at bicycles, subways and just about anything else
that moves.
Well, the automobile is more than just another pretty con
veyance. Eventually, I trust, America will come to its senses
and realize it and the automobile were made for each other, If
not, let’s hope they can at least still be friends.
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Marijuana
Harvard researchers offer advice on its use
by PATRICIA McCORMACK
United Press International
Kids do more than play in the “grass”
around the schoolhouse. A lot are already
beyond experimenting with marijuana —
about one-sixth between the ages of 12 and
17 are “users.”
Among high school seniors, about 10
percent admit daily pot use.
Questions about the risks of marijuana to
adolescents — and pre-adolescents — are
coming up more frequently these days,
says June’s “Harvard Medical School
Health Letter,” because younger kids are
using the stuff now and larger amounts are
being used.
“Only in the past 15 years has marijuana
become a truly common recreational
drug,” the Health Letter said.
“By 1977, some 43 million Americans
had tried marijuana and over 16 million
used the drug regularly.”
What will be the effect on the physical
and mental health of this young genera
tion? Will America itself grow soft as a re
sult of pot?
“Little is known about marijuana’s long
term effects on children and adoles
cents,” the Harvard experts said in the
newsletter edited by Dr. C. Timothy
Johnson and put out by the Medical
School’s Department of Continuing Edu
cation in Cambridge, Mass.
“Thus, their widespread use of the drug
is a form of mass self-experimentation.
“Even if marijuana proves to have few or
no adverse effects on the health of young
people, the time they spend ‘high’ is time
that could be spent in normal learning and
physical activity.
Growing up should be as drug-free as
possible.”
The Harvard experts said research over
the last 10 years leads to these recommen
dations to parents who wish to discourage
their kids from using marijuana:
1. Limit access to the drug. If a school or
other area becomes identified as a source of
supply, parents can take action to change
matters.
2. Since peers are the major influence on
youngsters’ use of drugs, encourage friend
ships with non-using companions to reduce
both the incentive and the chance to in
dulge.
3. At least delaying a child’s experience
with marijuana is probably worthwhile.
The later someone begins to use the drug,
the less likely he or she is to become heavily
involved. Often, use tapers off spon
taneously by age 25.
4. Parents ought to think about their own
approach to drink and drugs. Kids whose
parents have relatively casual attitudes to
ward these things are more likely than
others to become involved with drugs.
Can parents make their kids marijuana-
proof? The Harvard experts, ranging from
pediatricians to psychiatrists and neurolog
ists, say:
“Parents protect their children from
drug use by being close to them, remaining
actively involved with them and their
friends, supporting their self-esteem, and
expressing high expectations for achieve
ment in school.”
So what if your school child in such a
supportive family takes up pot?
There’s not much parents can do, the
Harvard experts say. Parents often are not
able to help the kid kick the habit. But in
the case of marijuana the use is likely to
wind down of its own accord in a few years.
Should you throw the kid out of the
house? Get a divorce? Engage in a psycho
drama and blame your mate?
“It is probably not productive to let mari
juana become ammunition in the war be
tween the generations or to treat ex
perimentation as a catastrophe,” the Har
vard experts said.
They advise parents in such a fix to keep
some perspective about drugs.
“Just because tobacco and alcohol are
more familiar does not mean that they are
safer than marijuana,” they said.
“They are a very real threat to health at
every age. Marijuana is still a somewhat
uncertain factor, and it may have serious
drawbacks, but it does not threaten lifelong
severe addiction in the way that cigarettes
do.
“Nor is it as toxic as alcohol. However,
these conclusions should not lead to the
conclusion that marijuana is safe.”
Other points by the Harvard experts:
— No convincing report has yet been
published to show that marijuana perma-
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Letters to the Editor, are welcome.
All pieces submitted to Readers’
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nently damages the brain. It would not be
surprising if there were some effect from
heavy, prolonged use, but the weight of the
evidence, at the moment, suggests that
there is none.
— During the “high”, marijuana causes
the heart to beat faster and work harder.
Although this effect is insignificant in heal
thy people, it may be a hazard for anyone
with heart disease.
— Production of the male hormone tes
tosterone and of sperm can be reduced by
marijuana, although the effects appear to
be temporary and reversible. Effects on
females are less well studied but it appears
marijuana is capable of disturbing the
menstrual cycle.
— Young people who are depressed and
have low expectations for themselves —
and whose parents expect little of them —
are more likely than others to make heavy
use of marijuana. Heavy use may be a
symptom of depression and low self-esteem
rather than the cause.
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Readers’ Forum
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