When There Is Crime in Your Neighborhood "Peace on Earth" Assemblies Span the Atlantic

Preventing Accidents to Children

Beauty in the Rocks

SEPTEMBER 22, 1969

THE REASON FOR THIS MAGAZINE

New* sources that are able to keep you awake to the vital issues of our time* must be unfettered by censorship and selfish interests. "AwakeI" has no fetters. It recognizes facts, faces facts, is free to publish facts. It Is not bound by political ties; It It unhampered by traditional creeds. This magazine keeps itself free, that it may speak freely to you. But it does not abuse its freedom. It maintains integrity to truth.

The viewpoint of “Awake!" is not narrow, but is international. "Awake!” has Its own correspondents in scores of nations. Its articles are read in many lands, In many languages, by millions of persons.

In every issue "Awake!" presents vital topics on which you should be informed. It features penetrating articles on social conditions and offers sound counsel for meeting the problems of everyday life. Current news from every continent passes in quick review. Attention is focused on activities in the fields of government and commerce about which you should know. Straightforward discussions of religious issues alert you to matters of vital concern. Customs and people in many lands, the marvels of creation, practical sciences and points of human interest are all embraced in its coverage. "Awake!" provides wholesome, instructive reading for every member of the family,

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Get acquainted with "Awake!” Keep awake by reading "Awake!"

■     H—im—!■' ■ ■ ■, Hu UM-

Published Simultaneously in the United States by the WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. INC. 117 Adams street              „ Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201, U.S.A.

and in England by WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY Watch Tower House, The Ridgeway London N.W. 7, England N. H. Knorr, President                      Grant Surrett, Secretary

CONTENTS

“tt is afreody the hour for you to awake.” ■ —Romans 13:11

Volume L London, England, September 22, 1969     Number IS

E When there is 1 r CRIME i

I IN YOUR 1 t NEIGHBORHOOD i

DO YOU feel safe walking along the streets of your neighborhood at night? There are not many neighborhoods today where a person can say that he does. Whether you live in a big city, the suburbs or in a small town, rising crime rates give you gobd reason to be apprehensive.

Speaking about American streets, Senator John L. McClellan said: "Crime and the threat of crime stalk America. Our streets are unsafe. Our citizens are fearful, terrorized and outraged.”

Outraged citizens in one neighborhood in New York city chipped in to hire an unarmed, uniformed guard to patrol the streets during certain hours of the night. A spokesman for the group said: "We’ve stopped quite a bit of local crime. . . . I’m not saying we’re free of crime, but things that happen on the streets—the holdups —are almost down to zero.”

In England the greater safety of the streets there has been attributed, in part, to the fact that the police patrol them on foot. As a result, policemen are personally acquainted with the people in the neighborhood and have their cooperation.

A few years ago a New York precinct more than tripled the men on foot patrols for a period of about three months to see what effect it would have on crime generally in that precinct. As a result, crime was cut in half. A remarkable drop in crime was also obtained on New York subways when a policeman was put on every train and in every station during certain hours of the night.

However, in many localities the police lack the manpower to maintain adequate foot patrols. So they use cruising patrol cars. But what can you do to avoid assault if there is crime in your neighborhood?

Be Alert

If you were walking through a jungle, you would certainly be alert to the danger of wild animals. If you have crime in your neighborhood, you need to show the same alertness. A criminal can be lurking on the street or in a building waiting to pounce on you, and he can be just as vicious as any wild animal.

Do not get lost in thought while walking along the street. Keep your eyes moving over the street ahead and occasionally look behind. Muggers watch for unwary persons and sneak up behind them. They may stand in a doorway or be loitering on the street. When a likely victim walks by they come up from behind and lock an arm around the victim’s neck. Sometimes a group of juvenile delinquents will run past an unwary woman, kndck her down and run off with her purse. Like animals these criminals pick on the weak and elderly or on a person who is by himself.

So to avoid becoming a victim you need to be alert to suspicious-looking persons loitering on the street ahead of you. Do not take the risk of passing through their midst. Cross over to the o^her side of the street or turn around and go back to another street. Never hesitate to change directions if all does not look well ahead of you. Walk near the curb, well away from the buildings where a person may be lurking in a dark entrance or in an alley, waiting to pull in an unwary person. Try to avoid walking on streets that are deserted of other pedestrians.

When entering a building with a lobby, look around the lobby first before entering. If a suspicious-looking person is loitering there, do not enter by yourself. If all looks well, take the elevator to the floor you want, but if someone stops the elevator at another floor and gets on and you feel uneasy about being in the elevator alone with that person you can get off immediately before the door closes. Take another elevator or use the stairs. Many persons have been robbed and murdered in elevators.

Using a Car

It is much safer to go about in an automobile than to walk on crime-ridden streets at night. But here, too, you need to exercise good sense and use precaution. Make sure the doors are all locked. If they are not, a criminal can easily open a door when you are at a stop signal and get in to hold, you up. If someone acts in a menacing way toward you, drive off immediately.

A woman driver uses good sense when she puts her purse in the glove compartment or on the floor instead of leaving it In full view on the seat of the car.

When You Are a Victim

What if a criminal holds you up on the street and demands your money? Should you resist? What chance do you have against a thug who is armed with a knife or gun? You can always earn more money, but if he shoots or knifes you, the cost will be much more than the money in your wallet.

A good defense for a woman is her scream. A criminal is not likely to stay around and harm her while she is making a lot of noise. If he tries to force her to walk into a dark alley, she could fall to the sidewalk and scream. It would be very foolish to pursue a street robber who runs off with your valuables. He might turn and kill you. Good sense dictates that you should immediately call the police and be thankful if no physical harm was done.

There is a possibility that you live in a neighborhood where crime is not as yet such a serious problem, and you may not feel the need to be alert But in time your streets may become unsafe, too, as drug addiction among young people continues to spread and the growing breakdown in law and order becomes more general. So think of' your own safety by remaining alert, by using good sense and by taking precautions to avoid dangerous situations.

FROM all over the world, hundreds of thousands of persons poured into stadiums and arenas in thirteen cities of North America and Europe during July and August. These mammoth conventions were part of this year’s globe-encircling “Peace on Earth” International Assemblies of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Why were such multitudes of people gathering together? To learn about “The Approaching Peace of a Thousand Years,” which was the title of the main public lecture, and to consider how they must live in order to enjoy the blessings of this com-

Begin in East

The assemblies began in the second week of July. Three were held simultaneously in the eastern part of the United States. At these assemblies the mdod was set for all the rest: first, those in attendance agreed that the program was wonderfully upbuilding, and second, the numbers attending were far beyond what was expected.

In New York, delegates from 114 different countries came, some 6,000 from Europe alone. Yankee Stadium and surrounding areas were crowded on Sunday, July 13, as 122,011 heard the speaker describe how God would bring total peace to this earth in our lifetime. At Atlanta

57,626 heard the lecture, as did 54,909 who overflowed the stadium in Buffalo.

From these locations, the assemblies moved to the west coast of the United States and Canada, where three were held in the third week of July.

Huge Vancouver Assembly

Makes Impact

Never in the history of Canada had there been an assembly of Christians as large as this one. The impact on Vancouver was such that literally everyone knew about

it. It was the talk of the town.

So large was the gathering—65,609 attended the public lecture—that Empire Stadium could not accommodate it, so nearby, the Coliseum and the Agrodome were also rented. Yet, as a television cameraman for station CBUT said: “What has impressed me most is the fact that not once have I been pushed or shoved in a crowd of over 50,000.”

To care for this large group, about 20 per

cent of those attending worked in various departments free of charge. Persons of varying abilities all volunteered—farmers, mechanics, doctors, nurses, engineers, salesmen, radio announcers, janitors, young persons, housewives. Where their skills were not directly required, they worked as needed: salesmen served in the cafeteria, engineers in refreshment stands, mechanics and carpenters as cooks, janitors in trucking.

A representative of a company supplying the Vancouver assembly saw all this and said: “I am awed by the organization set up here. Having toured the entire setup, I find it hard to believe that there is not a hitch anywhere. It is just astounding!” After a similar tour, the manager of Empire Stadium stated: “What marvelous cooperation at this convention! A prime example of how a gigantic task such as this can be accomplished with a minimum of trouble.”

The cleanliness of the assembly grounds astonished observers. The front page of the Vancouver Province reported: “Throughout the Stadium and the rest of ver. Some time after leaving, she discovered that her purse was missing. Then she remembered that she had left it in the washroom! She telephoned the manager of the station, asking him to give her purse to the next Witness that came to his station with instructions that the purse be taken to the Lost and Found Department at the assembly. The manager asked if she knew who the Witness would be. When she said No, he could not believe that she really meant for him to give her purse to a complete stranger. She assured him that it would be all right, and he did as she requested. Yes, later at Lost and Found she picked up her purse, including the several hundred dollars it contained!

One of the program highlights enthralled the audience. This was the enactment of the Biblical drama of the prodigal son. The powerful and heartwarming portrayal of Jesus’ famous parable underscored its theme, “Thorns and Traps Are in the Way of the Independent One.” The point of this drama was that a person who pursues a course independent from God puts himself in the way of much anguish; it is the obeying of God’s laws that brings true happiness.

Spanish Assembly at Pomona

During the same week, 14,853 assembled at Pomona, California. This assembly was unusual in that it was held entirely in the Spanish language. It, too, was international in that delegates from eleven different countries attended.

The benefits of proper family training in Bible principles were repeatedly emphasized during the program. Living proof of the effectiveness of such godly training could be seen in the families attending. One family, represented by four generations, had eighty members attending the assembly, sixteen of whom are in the fulltime ministry! Another family was represented by fifty-six members!

Another of the dramas especially appreciated had to do with the prophet Daniel shortly after the fall of ancient Babylon in 539 B.C.E. At that time the way was opened up for the Jews to return to Jerusalem and restore true worship there. Daniel was seen talking to one who was reluctant to leave his material wealth.

Daniel warned him that by not returning he would miss the purpose of God’s deliverance of the Jews. Also, by remaining with the Babylonians who practiced demon religion, he would jeopardize his faith.

The drama highlighted the fact that Christians today who do not serve God zealously also miss the purpose for which they were set free from the bondage of modern-day false religion. That purpose is so they can preach the good news of God’s incoming new system, as Jesus foretold at Matthew 24:14. The drama emphasized that no material thing is worth more than our relationship with our Creator.

Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles

Overflows

Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium was the scene of another gigantic assembly in the third week of July. The 81,032 in attendance far exceeded the seating capacity of the stadium, with delegates coming from 44 states and 21 other countries.

A striking display set up at “home plate” caught the attention of all. It was of collected war weapons, twisted and torn, unable to cause further hurt. Carefully arranged lights simulated consuming fire. Off to each side was a prominently displayed plow and scythe, reminding the audience that Isaiah 2:4 prophetically

At thirteen assembly cities so far, a total of 27,442 persons were baptized

says: “And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more.” How appropriate a display for this “Peace on Earth” assembly!

That the delegates had indeed already learned true peace could be seen in their behavior. The owner of a motel in Hollywood wrote: “We want you to know that we have never had a finer group of people, and their children were unusually well behaved. In this day and age, it is most gratifying to see both adults and children conducting themselves with dignity and esteem.”

The baptism of 2,324 persons took place in a pool located ten miles away. Volunteers of Jehovah’s witnesses were stationed at important intersections along the route, holding arrows that pointed the way for the 16 buses, 51 vans and 189 cars that carried the happy baptismal candidates. These were persons from many different backgrounds, but all had the same goal: being baptized in symbol of their dedication to do the will of God.

One newly baptized person acknowledged that the love he had formerly sought as a "hippie” is found in its highest form among Jehovah’s people. He fully agreed with the assembly’s straightforward exposure of the dangers facing the “now” generation. He stated that he appreciated a religion that “tells it like it is,” that integrates its young people with older ones, and that sets a truly fine example for all mankind.

Early in the week, as at all assemblies, the delegates were thrilled when the Watch Tower Society released the new 192-page book Is the Bible Really the Word of God? It shows from the evidence of science and history, as well as from reason and logic, why the Bible is God’s Word. It is especially timely in view of the fact that in these “last days” (2 Tim. 3:1-5) the Bible has come under increasing attack.

Assemblies Move to Midwest

The last two assemblies in North America were held in the midwest during the latter part of July, in Kansas City and Chicago.

Following the pattern of the other assemblies, the 40,009 who attended the public meeting at Kansas City far exceeded the seating capacity of Municipal Stadium.

Not only was the stadium overflowing during the week, but so were parking facilities. How was this problem met? Sixty -fqur chartered bus groups were organized from a number of different points throughout Kansas City. Local Kingdom Hall parking lots became “staging areas” where dozens of cars could park all day. Thousands of delegates traveled daily to and from the assembly in the buses, saving an estimated 800 parking spaces near the stadium.

An interesting observation of the purpose of the assembly was made by the Kansas City newspaper The Call. It said:

“The primary interest of the 40,000 persons who came here from all parts of the world to participate in the preaching and teaching services was in learning more and understanding better the Bible, including the principles, commandments, prophecies and laws that are written in the Scriptures.”

In harmony with this purpose, those attending were fascinated by the drama entitled: “Are You a Modern-Day Jonah?” This showed that when God commissioned Jonah to preach to the bloodthirsty city of Nineveh, Jonah reacted by trying to get as far away from Nineveh as possible! Yet, he later faced up to his responsibility and carried out the assignment. The practical application to our time has to do with how each person views the doing of God’s will. Do we progress in knowledge and appreciation of God’s requirements? Or do we try to run away from our responsibilities to God? The course that leads one to eternal life is to do what God requires. and well-organized people that I have ever known, and the best crowd that I’ve ever handled. They obey police instantly and they won’t leave the curb until you blow your whistle.” He added: “They seem to have solved the problems of the world. I haven’t seen one argument.”

Another policeman stated: “There is no trouble and everybody gets along. They’re law-abiding citizens. This is the first large group that I’ve seen where there is no horn-blowing. I go home feeling good, not like other times when I go home disagreeable and talking to myself.”

Still another officer, when asked by a young Witness if he would be glad when the convention was over because of his having to deal with so many people, said: “No, for then I will have to go back to handling ordinary people, and a few of them are harder to handle than 47,000 of you.”

The racial harmony at the assembly was also noted by others. The religious editor of the Chicago Daily News commented: “The Witnesses don’t seem to be conscious of race at all.” How did the delegates view this racial harmony? One of them said:

“My nationality is Mexican. I was part of this divided world, being associated with the state religion and was stirred up against people of other races. When I learned of Jehovah and the truth of his Word, I came to be at peace with all peoples. To know that Jehovah is no respecter of persons according to nationality or race and that his visible organization upholds this Bible principle really makes this ‘Peace on Earth’ International Assembly work!”

Another delegate put it this way:

“I am a Negro, from the black race in Africa. Formerly, I was associated with magic-practicing priests. This kept me separate from other peoples, resenting them. However, on becoming a dedicated Witness of Jehovah, I learned that God made of one man all nations of men. It gives me great contentment to be recognized with all others where there is no showing of partiality, trusting others regardless of race or nationality.”

And still another delegate declared:

“I am of the yellow race, from the island of Japan. Before becoming one of Jehovah’s witnesses, I formerly belonged to the Shinto religion. This taught me to be superior to others. Then I learned of Jehovah and have come to be at peace with people of all kinds.”

Assemblies Leap the Atlantic

On July 29, two days after the Chicago assembly closed, another began in London, England. The assemblies had made their first, but not last, leap of the oceans’.

At Wembley Stadium, an amazing overflow crowd of 82,416 attended the public lecture. This figure far surpassed the 50,111 at London’s last international assembly in 1963. In attendance were about 20,000 interested persons. And during the assembly, some 500 persons requested a Bible study or manifested great interest!

Many Witnesses came from different countries, particularly Africa. There were 63 different countries represented. Included among the African delegates were several from Biafra.

The coming together of people from all races and backgrounds in peace caused The Observer of London to say: “A great and solid multitude of many colours and nationalities winds peacefully into the stadium. . . . Whether or not you agreed with the tenets of their faith, their optimism was evident. And there seemed none of the hysteria or stage management associated with Billy Graham.”

At this assembly, as well as the others, overseers in the Christian congregations were strengthened by the practical suggestions given in the Bible drama, “Overseers, Carry On as Men." Portrayed on the stage was the situation that existed in the congregation at ancient Corinth, Greece.

It was noted that many problems arose there, but were cleared up by the counsel of God's Word. Overseers today saw that they could similarly handle difficulties by trusting in Jehovah and sticking close to his Word.

Next Stop

—the Continent In the next two weeks, from August 5 to 17, there were assemblies on the continent of Europe—in Copenhagen, Paris, Nuremberg and Rome.

In Paris, 47,480 persons were in attendance. And a phenomenal number were baptized—3,619! In Copenhagen, 42,073 attended; in Nuremberg, 150,645; in Rome, 25,648 were present.

At these assemblies, all enjoyed the gripping Bible drama centered around the events in the days of King Saul of ancient Israel, who plotted against David. Yet, David did not try to take revenge, but waited for God to remedy the situation. Similarly, if someone in authority in God’s organization today commits a wrong, individual Christians do not make matters worse by rebelling, nor do they join the wrongdoer in his actions. They have confidence that, as in Saul's case, God will correct the wrongdoer or remove him in due time.

These European gatherings were not the end of the “Peace on Earth” assemblies. From October to December there will be others in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Papua, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Hawaii and

Mexico.

No doubt many in these areas will feel just as one seventy-seven-year-old person who has attended assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses since 1915. After attending one of the “Peace on Earth” assemblies, she observed: “This is the best ever. It will help us to be more mature, better organized and more conscious of what true Christians are expected to be.”

Young persons had similar comments. One wrote: “Being a teen-ager, I was especially grateful for all of the frank information brought out on the problems incidental to youths in these times. There is no way I can possibly thank my brothers enough for all the time, energy, and love that went into this assembly, but I know that I am not alone in wanting to express my gratitude.”

No, these persons were not alone in feeling deep appreciation for the “Peace on Earth” assemblies being held throughout the world this year. All who attended not only appreciate what was said, but they also are aware that true peace among many peoples can and does exist even in this time of crisis.

THE economic picture in Venezuela offers a refreshing contrast to that of other lands where the currency may be in the doldrums, declining steadily in value or even teetering on the brink. Imagine living in a land where the cost of living rose only one percent last year!

When one thinks of Venezuela and its economy, the word ‘ ‘oil’' immediately comes to mind. But Venezuela has been working hard to broaden its economic base and exploit its abundance of other natural resources. Not forever will the pools of oil lying under Lake Maracaibo and under the waving grass of its eastern prairie land go on bringing prosperity to the country. Government planners are seeking means to diversify the sources of income. But with what success?

Oil—the Mainstay

Unlike the situation in other South and Central American lands, the government owns the mineral resources. Thus the income from oil is spread over the entire economy, benefiting the majority rather than the privileged few. Per capita income of Venezuela’s ten million people varies from some $745 to over $900, giving Venezuelans more money to spend than their Latin-American neighbors. And the Venezuelan bolivar is the strongest currency in ail of South America.

As the world’s largest oil exporter, Venezuela pumps an average of 3,600,000 barrels per day. Of the resultant profits the nation receives two-thirds, some $3.5 million per day. Meantime, too, Venezuelan motorists enjoy the lowest price for gasoline in the world—just 11 cents a gallon.

All the usual activities of the oil industry, production, refining, exportation and internal consumption, have seen considerable increase—all, that is, except new exploration. Government petroleum policy keeps stressing operational efficiency and productive use of the oil resources, rather than seeking a higher output of this commodity that is nonrenewable. The latest methods of secondary oil recovery are being applied. In fact, by 1966, over fifty gas reinjection plants were in operation —one of them the world’s largest.

It is estimated that at the current rate of production the oil reserves should last for thirteen years. Prudently, therefore, the country’s economists have been using petroleum income to build up the framework for greater industrialization as well as for the achievement of needed social reforms. Apart from the dwindling of oil resources, a switch to some power source other than oil could produce serious effects on the economy.

Groundwork for Growth

In order to lay the groundwork for future industrial growth Venezuela has, in the last ten years, invested 6,000,000,000 bolivars in roads, bridges and hydroelectric development. The country now has one of the best highway systems in all Latin America—17,600 paved kilometers. Superhighways loop around and over Caracas, the capital, and knife out to the most important cities.

The longest prestressed concrete bridge in the world spans Lake Maracaibo, whiteh, by the way, is South America’s largest lake. This bridge links Maracaibo, second-largest city, with the rest of the country. Prior to 1962 everything had to be either ferried across the lake or transported 200 miles around its southern shoreline. Now a rich agricultural area has been opened up with direct access to the Pan-American Highway.

At the other end of the country, instead of having to wait in a long, hot, frustrating line for the small ferry, truckers can now roll over the beautiful new bridge that leaps the mighty Orinoco near Ciudad Bolivar and drive on without delay.

Special priority has been given to electrification of the country, since the desired economic development demanded the doubling of the generating capacity each five years. During the past ten years available electrical power has tripled and 1,500 cities, towns and villages havebeen illuminated in the modern way. Great plants on the powerful Caroni River are generating hundreds of thousands of kilowatts. In fact, hydroelectric potential is almost inexhaustible. In only a few African countries is there a superior potential, developable at less cost.

Other Rich Resources

Besides the pools of “black gold” that underlie Venezuela, this land can also boast several mountains of iron. Its reserves of high-grade iron ore, 50 percent pure, have been estimated at 1,800,000,000 metric tons. Ninth among the world’s iron producers, Venezuela can name this mineral as its second most important export. International competition has moved Venezuelans to build a plant that will produce a million tons yearly of enriched ore briquettes, of high enough quality to satisfy international steel mill demands.

Deposits of bauxite, gold, nickel and manganese are also found in the region that is swiftly becoming the pride of Venezuela—that great stretch of land lying south of the Orinoco. This is where the most intensive efforts are being made to build up a center of heavy industry. A steel mill and an aluminum plant are already in operation. The objective is a complete ore-to-metal complex. The steel mill has an ingot capacity of 750,000 tons besides 600,000 tons of finished products per year. The aluminum plant produces 10,000 tons of 99.5 percent pure aluminum ingots each year, and it is planned to double this production this year.

Spurring Industrial Expansion

Government policy, encouraging home production of what was formerly imported, has given great impetus to the development of industry. Manufacturing production has increased at an average rate of 10 percent annually. Consumer goods are now almost totally of national manufacture, whereas ten years ago almost half were imported. Automobile assembly plants, and factories for production of tires, furniture, paper, metal products and building materials, are already producing. Clothing and shoes are being turned out in sufficient volume to provide for a modest export movement of these items.'

In the petrochemical field Venezuela has ambitions. Plans for large-scale expansion have been announced, plans that include construction of a seaport with greater capacity than any other port in the country. Related to this chemical industry will be plants that will house satellite enterprises such as the manufacture of plastics and fertilizers.

Of course, sooner or later there will be problems when the limited domestic market has been cared for. It will then become imperative to increase production greatly and cut costs so as to be able to compete effectively in the world market.

Agriculture Keeps Pace

It is quite significant that the only nation leading Venezuela in agricultural growth in 1966 was Israel—a nation outstanding for its technology in agricultural methods. Not surprising, then, that Venezuela produces practically all of its own food requirements, actually 92 percent.

The government’s agrarian reform policy has had much to do with this progress. Ten years ago less than 2 percent of the landholders owned 74 percent of the land. Since then, 150,000 families have been settled on publicly owned lands or on unused land bought by the government from private owners. Farmers get title to their parcels of land so they can will them to their children, obtain credit and technical aid from government agencies. No longer are the farmers working crops in behalf of absentee landlords. Their crops are their own, to do with what they will. Significantly, agricultural production during a period of seven years has risen by 650 percent.

This agricultural expansion has transformed the whole economy. A land that before 1958 had to use its petroleum income to import rice from Ecuador, sugar from Cuba, eggs from Poland, potatoes from Canada, and So on, has become a land that not only feeds its own nationals, but also generates income from the export of many of these same products in addition to the traditional coffee and cocoa. Compared to ten years ago corn production has doubled, there is twice as much sugar, twelve times as much rice, eight times as much potatoes.

The resultant plentiful food supply has tended to keep prices down.

Growing Pains

Venezuela, of course, has its problems. Mainly, these are produced by a very real population explosion. Some 300,000 persons are added to the population each year. That is almost twice the population growth rate in the United States,

Education is a vital problem, one that is being bravely tackled, so much so that three times as much money is being spent for it today as was spent ten years ago. The illiteracy rate has dropped to 17 percent according to a United Nations statistic.

Housing is another pressing problem. Nevertheless, more housing has been built during the last four years than in all the rest of Venezuela’s official construction history.

Water storage and distribution have also made vast strides, with the result that now 98 percent of the population in towns of 5,000 or more population have potable water. In the cities more than three million have the convenience of sewer systems as compared with less than a million in 1958.

Restriction of immigration and encouragement for foreign investors are two policies that are being pursued with a view to maintaining a prosperous and growing economy. Incidentally, in any business three Venezuelans must be hired for every foreigner, unless it is a matter of highly specialized enterprise and the national labor market is experiencing a shortage of available technical personnel.

Low Income Tax, Stable Money

Income tax is paid to the Federal government when a person earns over 12,000 bolivars ($2,666.66). There are no state or municipal taxes. The total tax burden, 12.5 percent of the gross national product, is decidedly lower than the almost 30 percent in the United States, 35 percent in Germany, 39 percent in France and 41 percent in Sweden. It is obvious, then, that there is a friendly tax climate in Venezuela, a climate that encourages investment. That, in turn, aids in expansion of the economy.

Venezuela occupies a unique position. It maintains the highest money reserves in Latin America, something that aids the bolivar to maintain its favored position. The stability and free convertibility of the bolivar have resulted in its use in other countries in credit transactions, particularly since Venezuela’s currency was recognized in 1966 by the International Monetary Fund as a “hard” currency.

According to an economic study by the First National City Bank of New York, “part of Venezuela’s success may be attributed to a high level of petroleum exports, but its enviable record of economic growth, relative price stability, balance-of-payments surpluses and strong international reserve position must be attributed to sound fiscal policies which have enabled the country to derive great benefit from this important natural resource.”

As one Venezuelan economist put it: “In this land economic narrowness and backwardness are contrasted with abundance. That is to say, two profoundly different Venezuelas exist: the Venezuela that has not left the past, with its old houses, its old traditions, its primitive economic systems, and the Venezuela of petroleum, of modern buildings, of expensive automobiles, expensive pleasure installations', the Venezuela of landed patriarchs and peons and the Venezuela of businessmen, constructors, industrialists, technological experts and a growing middle class; the Venezuela of alpargatas (woven sandals), machetes, wide-brimmed sombreros, huts and casave (bread made out of yucca root) and the Venezuela of luxurious hotels and famous dress designers.”

Yes, these contrasts and many more can be seen in Venezuela today. But, will political stability and sound fiscal policy continue to maintain a healthy, growing economy? That is what many Venezuelans must be asking themselves as they observe country after country that has already trod the path they are following fall victim to divisive ideas, debilitating policies and a whole train of attending evils. Meantime the country’s economy rides rapidly ahead.

PREVENTING

THE elementary school bell had just signaled the end of classes and the corridors were filled with students. A group of four girls rushed down the stairs on the way to their next classes.

Eleven-year-old Barbara was the last of them. As she reached the last flight, she playfully stretched her arm upward to touch the stairs above her. Leaping as she did so, she lost her footing and plummeted down the stairs, landing on her head. She lay unconscious for days. It was finally determined that serious brain damage had been sustained. What a terrible price to pay for one foolish act!

Of course, not all children run recklessly downstairs, out into traffic after balls or across streets against the lights, nor do all ride bicycles in a reckless manner. Many youngsters go through their childhood without serious accidents. But the fact still remains that each year nearly ten million children under fifteen years of age in the United States alone suffer accidents in and near the home.

What can parents do to protect their children and at the same time train them to protect themselves? In a previous issue of Awake! suggestions were offered relative to infants and very young children. Let us now examine some more aspects of safety, especially with older children in mind.

Protection in Cars

Motor vehicle fatalities dominate the accident mortality rate among youngsters in the United States. Between the ages of five and ten, the main cause of death and injury is the automobile, many while the children are passengers.

A goodly number of these injuries and deaths could be avoided, or at least the

ACCIDENTS TO

CHILDREN

damage minimized, by the simple act of fastening a seat belt or shoulder harness. Although it. is estimated that the use of seat belts saves more than 5,000 lives yearly, many neglect to use them. Do you, like many car owners, fail to use them on yourself and your children on short trips? It is estimated that the majority of accidents occur within a ten-mile radius of the home. So those who wait until they take a long trip to use seat belts may never get the chance.

To a great extent, the children’s safety will depend upon you, the driver. Are you extra cautious at night, in bad weather and during the highly dangerous twilight hours? Do you make it a point never to drive when you are overtired, sleepy, emotionally upset or after taking alcohol or drugs?

Also, do you obey all the traffic rules? This is important, not only for the children’s safety, but also because they are watching you as well as the scenery. If they see you repeatedly go through stop signals, weave in and out of traffic, speed, follow other cars too closely or cut off other drivers, it could lay the foundation for their own bad driving habits later. Children are deeply impressed by parental example and mimic what they see.

Protection on the Street

Children are often struck down by vehicles because they cross streets against the lights or fail to watch where they are going. By the time a child is about five years old he can be taught to observe traffic laws. He should learn to cross properly: Cross only at the designated area; cross only on the green light, never on the red; and look both ways before crossing even when you have the light, since some car drivers may run through stop signals. These are musts in his training.

After these rules have been repeated over and over again, you can test his understanding. You might want to make a game of it. Taking your son’s hand in yours, you might say: “Now, Johnny, I’ll be the child and you be the Daddy, You take me across the street and I’ll do just what you do.” This should encourage his sense of responsibility and at the same time aid you in determining how well he follows your instructions.

Children also have to be told the dangers involved in darting out between parked cars in pursuit of balls or other toys. They should be prohibited from playing on streets not set aside for that purpose. Encourage them to play on the sidewalks, away from traffic, and preferably in playgrounds or areas designed for that purpose.

Safety on Bicycles

Some children may observe other traffic laws, but become careless when they get their hands on a bicycle. When a boy is old enough to own a bicycle, he should learn that riding it brings responsibilities. He should not be allowed to ride in traffic until he has mastered keeping his balance, steering, pedaling and braking, and then only after he has learned to obey traffic signals.

Impress upon him the dangers involved in zigzagging through traffic, riding with feet off the pedals, and hitching rides by holding on to buses, trucks and cars. When he is caught in such actions, you may want to retract his permission to ride until he shows his willingness to ride responsibly.

Safety in Water

Children should be taught respect for water, and the earlier the better. Do your children know how to swim? Most children should learn how to swim for their own protection. They can be taught this, as are many, even before they enter school. And besides, it is a healthful sport.

But even when a child learns to swim well, he should be taught never to swim alone in a pool, lake or other body of water or when a storm threatens. When at the beach, children should swim only where lifeguards are stationed.

One way parents can contribute to their children’s safety is by not letting them depend entirely on in-.flated toys and other plastics to hold them 'up in the water, especially if they cannot swim. They should not be allowed to use these in deep water. They are loads of fun for children, but any man-made device can fail. So caution is the keynote when a child is in or near the water.

Discipline’s Part in Protection

When children are of school age, they should be warned against following other children whom they know to be reckless. Boys, more than girls, have to watch the tendency toward daredevil behavior when prodded by others. Many a boy would act sensibly on his own, but when challenged or dared by playmates, he throws caution to the winds. Teach them to appreciate that when others goad them into unsafe practices, they are the ones that may get hurt, not the instigators. This requires good discipline.

When the necessary discipline comes as part of the process of learning and is administered in a firm but loving manner, it is a powerful force in the lives of children, They welcome firmness and limits on their behavior, especially when their safety is involved. Are you firm when necessary? Do you mean what you say the very first time you say it? When you tell a child to do something, or not to do it, you must follow your words with actions if he is to understand that you really mean what you say. Then your words will actually govern his actions.

There are times, though, when even docile children may become rebellious. They may not obey even when their safety is involved. So punishment is in order. When it is given, it should not be in a fit of anger, but in a calm and reasonable manner. The child should be told why he is being punished. The form of punishment may vary with each child. For some, just withholding affection or a privilege for a time brings results. For many, isolating them is effective, since most children do not want to be left out of family activities or removed from their playmates. For others, physical pain, a spanking, Is the language they understand best But whatever the method, the punishment should be consistent and supported by both parents.

One of the best ways to prevent accidents is for parents themselves to be disciplined in regard to safety. Many accidents result from conditions that exist right in the home, conditions for which parents are responsible. So parents should be safety-conscious, accepting this as an obligation.

To demonstrate the need for parents to take the lead in uncovering dangerous situations in the home, let us take an imaginary tour. We will be interested only in how safe the home is from the standpoint of the children living there and what can be done to prevent accidents.

Safety Outside the House

Before entering, though, let us look at the outside. We notice some papers, soda bottles and other debris in front of the house. Regardless of who put it there, it creates a hazard. A child racing home from school or running out to play can trip on these and injure himself. So the area around the house should be cleared of debris.

Before continuing around the house, let us stop off at the garage for a few minutes. Some are garages in name only. The garage is really a catchall for various items besides the car itself. What about your garage? Is the floor safe to walk on? Or is it littered with nails, discarded tools, screws, jacks, and the like? These represent a danger to children, who may stumble over them or get cut by them. And some of these items may very well end up in a toddler’s mouth! All of them should be safely locked away in a tool kit, or thrown away.

As we walk around to the back of the house, we see a swing. No doubt the children spend many happy hours there. But how often is it inspected? Do you determine whether the equipment they play with is safe before you allow them to use it?

Coming back to the front of the house, we notice a little boy playing in the driveway. Do you always check your driveway to see if it is clear before you start your car? Many children are injured and some even killed because this is not done.

Interior Safety

Now let us go inside the house. We notice the stairway to the second floor. There is adequate light here and everything appears to be safe. There is a gate at the top of the stairs to prevent the toddler from tumbling down. We notice that the steps are sturdy and secure. The railing is firm and the carpeting is in good condition. Incidentally, we will look in each room to see whether the rugs, if there are any, are tacked down or skidproof.

Since so many accidents occur in the kitchen, let us go there before heading upstairs. Does the mother of the house make sure that, while she is cooking, the pot handles on the stove are turned toward the wall, to prevent the younger children from reaching up and pulling hot things down on themselves? And does she see to it that after she uses various kitchen utensils such as knives, sharpeners, slicers and other instruments that are dangerous, they are placed out of the reach of young children? When not in use, these items should be stored away in a safe place.

How about the living room? Are the lamps securely based and the cords fastened down? Are the floors too highly waxed and slippery? Do you make sure that all electrical outlets are covered with plastic caps when not used so children cannot stick things into them?

Now that we have checked some of the items downstairs, let us see¹ what the upstairs holds. As we enter one bedroom, we notice something right away: A plastic bag was left on a chair. Why is this dangerous? A youngster may playfully pull the plastic bag over his head and then not be able to remove it, perhaps cutting off his air supply. But we also notice good things too. For example, the window was open from the top instead of the bottom, since there is no gate at the window. This prevents children from falling out.

The bathroom is next on our list. Here we notice there is a skidproof rubber mat in the tub and the medicine chest is locked, which is fine. But look—there is a razor blade in the wastebasket, just ready for a child to play with! Perhaps the father discarded it after shaving. The blade should not be left within easy reach of children who may not know how dangerous it is.

We could continue our tour and no doubt still uncover other hazardous conditions, for they lurk in every home. And speaking of touring the home for safety, why not do just that? Why not set aside time to check the entire house for dangerous conditions? You could even make a game of it with the children, seeing who can find hazards that need correcting.

Families that practice accident prevention will have fewer tragedies in their lives. As it was said long ago; “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” How true that is when a child’s life is involved!

tinent information, such as the crystal form, mineral associations and locality from which it came.

“Unexpected”

Is the Word

You are probably already familiar with copper and its many practical uses. But have you ever thought of copper as a mineral of great beauty? If not, then let me introduce you to the copper world, where variety in crystal form and intensity of color make of this mineral a collector’s delight.

for a rock garden. That is an entirely different field. I am more interested in the hidden beauty that is to be found below the surface, dazzling, breathtaking specimens that must have been designed by the Creator as a feast for the eyes of his human creation. Have you heard of micromounts? No? Then, I will explain.

These trays of plastic boxes that I have hold an array of mineral specimens from all over the earth, and they are mounted on balsa wood, glued to the inside of each plastic box. These tiny crystal groups are called micromounts because they need to be magnified in order to be appreciated. The convenience of having small samples is that one can pack a great variety into a small space. Then, with the aid of a microscope one can peer into a little world of enchanting beauty.

Notice that each box has a label giving the name of the mineral, with other perFirst, take a look at this little box. It is labeled “Copper, Bisbee, Arizona.” See what is inside? Why, to the naked eye it looks like tiny strings of copper wire!

Now, I will mount this specimen under the stereomicroscope, adjust the light and focus it for you. Take a peek now. What has happened to those “strings of copper”? Why, they are transformed into reddish-gold clusters of copper crystals! But that is not all. We will focus on one crystal now. You begin to observe some of the basic crystal forms, one a cube, another an octahedron, and so on. And then growing out of one crystal there appear to be some fine ruby-red needles. These are known to collectors as chalcotrichite (from Greek words meaning “copper” and “hair”).

But suppose we step up the magnification of these so-called “needles.” They become long, square prisms, the ruby-red taking on a more intense quality. Breathtaking, is it not? Next take a closer look at the top of one of those slender prisms, and what do you see? Why, it looks like two tiny red pyramids, base to base, with the point of one of them connecting with the top of the prism. This crystal form is called an octahedron, that is, having eight triangular faces. Amazing, is it not, the varied geometric patterns of crystal formation?

Systems of Mineral Crystalization

I should also mention that each mineral falls into one of six different systems of crystalization, a classification that is based on the arrangement of the axes (imaginary lines) within the crystal. To determine the system to which a mineral belongs, one has to know the number, the relative lengths and juxtapositions of the axes within a given crystal. Both copper and chalcotrichite belong to what is known as the isometric system. Crystals in this system have three equal axes at right angles to one another.

Here is another interesting mount —azurite, from the Tsumeb copper area of South-West Africa, a region that is noted for its fine mineral specimens. Crystals of azurite seven inches long have been found here. I believe it is all set now. Take a peek through the microscope. A beautiful intense blue, is it not? This mineral’s vivid color and great variety of crystal forms have made it a real collector’s item.

Next, we will take a look at a malachite —this one from Katanga in the Congo. Note the oil-green “butterfly wings” simulated by the twinning habit of this mineral. Both azurite and malachite are copper carbonates, and both are monoclinic in habit, that is, their crystals have one oblique intersection of the imaginary axes. Getting a little technical for you? By the way, a banded mass of malachite of gem quality discovered in Siberia back in 1800 measured approximately nine by eighteen feet. It was eventually slabbed and made into many objects of art that may be encountered in the world's museums as well as in private collections.

Atacamite is our next specimen. Focusing carefully, you can note the clusters of finely detailed, slender, prismatic crystals with bright-green terminations. Under magnification the color of each crystal becomes a deep transparent emerald. This item came from Chile. Atacamite belongs to the orthorhombic crystal system, that is, it has the characteristic of three unequal axes.

Now we come to one of my own finds. On this one mount you will see quite a number of minerals—chalcopyrite, stilbite, heulandite, laumontite and chabazite—all formed on quartz crystals. The particular one to notice here is the chalcopyrite. Do you see what look like three brass-yellow triangles standing on their tips? That is chalcopyrite, a copper and iron sulfide, and often mistaken for gold by the uninitiated. This material will crumble under a knife, however. It belongs to the tetragonal crystal system, in that its three axes are at right angles, only the two lateral axes being equal in length.

Perhaps you would like to examine this chalcanthite, from the Ting Tang Mine, Gwennap, Cornwall, England. It is a copper sulfate, and belongs to the triclinic crystal system. That should tell you that it has three unequal axes intersecting at oblique angles. Note how . the crystals in this case are short and prismatic, ranging in color from Berlin blue to sky blue. And they seem to be moist. That is because these crystals, when exposed to air, constantly pick up moisture. In fact, if left in too damp or too dry an atmosphere, they will break down into either a bluish-green puddle or a greenish-white powder. The name "chalcanthite” derives from a word meaning “flowers of copper.”

You will be interested to know that it is quite easy for you to grow some of these crystals in your own home. All you have to do is buy some copper sulfate or blue vitriol at the hardware store. Crush a very small quantity of It on a hard surface. Then shake the powder into some water, making a concentrated solution. Set it aside in a dish or pan in a fairly constant temperature. Check on it daily, and soon you will find that the process of evaporation leaves beautiful crystals such as you see here.

Finally, I want you to see a real treasure—dioptase. It is a copper silicate. Take, for instance, this cluster of crystals from the Congo region of Africa. In fact, I will show you several specimens. Note the variety of brilliant, blue-green crystals from various localities. The fact that these crystals are six-sided shows that they belong to the hexagonal system. This system is characterized by three equal lateral axes intersecting at angles of 60 degrees, and a vertical axis of variable length intersecting at right angles. But look at this specimen from Arizona—long, bluish-green prismatic crystals sticking out from the bright-yellow wulfenite crystal. Can you see why this is one of my favorites?

In Search of Beauty

Where did I get many of my specimens? Well, some came from faraway places, as you have seen, mostly by exchange with other collectors. But right around home you may easily come across some dazzling specimens. If you live near some mines or quarries, these are good places for collecting. Of course, you must obtain permission from the owners, and carefully observe their safety rules. Another likely place for the search is in recently blasted areas. Then there are gravel pits, freshly exposed rocks, or even old stone walls—all of them worth investigating.

For tools and equipment I make do with a prospector’s hammer, a rock chisel, a collector’s bag, old clothing and a sturdy pair of shoes or boots. My collecting trips are very rare. In fact, you can usually collect enough on one trip to keep you busy for many hours selecting and preparing materials for mounting. Such trips can even be made into family outings, with many other things to see and examine while engaged in the search.

A good textbook on minerals aids one to identify his specimens. An old toothbrush and detergent will do for cleaning the piece you select for mounting. A 10X or 20X pocket lens will be useful in the process of selection and mounting. And as to space for storage and display, this presents no real problem. Even with my years of collecting, this small cabinet, 3x3x2 feet, is adequate. Why, even a desk drawer can be utilized.

Micromounting can be pleasurable relaxation. Every now and then, as one examines the colorful treasures from the rocks, comes the deepening conviction that only an intelligent, beauty-loving Creator, an artist of the highest caliber, could have provided such rich satisfaction for the eyes of earthling men. Yes, indeed, to those who seek, there is beauty in the rocks.—Contributed.

HARDEST SUBSTANCE

♦ The diamond is the hardest natural substance known to man. Most diamonds—about 80 percent—are unsuitable for jewelry but are used in industrial cutting, grinding and boring tools.

Australia's First Sheep Dairy Farm

As we drove through the large ornamental stone gateway along a wide concrete drive, this sheep farm looked no different from any other small grazing property in the southern part of Australia.

Its 400 acres were carpeted with rich green grass, spreading invitingly over rolling hills, and among stately eucalyptus trees. Abundant irrigation was assured by the 2,000 gallons of fresh water per hour, pumped from a water bore, to fill the three large reservoirs on the farm.

Driving down to a cluster of neat, new brick buildings, we saw that the surroundings bespoke freshness and cleanliness. In fact, the entrance to the buildings, with its colorful flower garden, could well have led to a contemporary home dwelling, so common to the outer suburbs of the capital city Melbourne, some forty miles away.

These buildings comprised the milking sheds, offices, dairy and other amenities of Australia’s first farm to produce sheep’s milk for commercial purposes. The milk is made into Pecorino and Pecorino Romano cheeses.

It was just 3 p.m. and a commotion accompanied by the barking of a sheep dog led us to peer into the nearest building. What a surprise to find what appeared to be a clinically clean, white tile-walled milking shed rapidly being filled by eager sheep, each darting its head into a tiny bail. An attendant filled small food troughs with special food pellets, locking each sheep into Its bail as he went, until two rows of twenty-four sheep were ready for milking.

The concrete floor of the milking shed had been built with a shallow stainless-steel-lined pit between the two rows of milking bails. Suspended from steel frames overhead were plastic tubes and suction cups used to draw the milk from the sheep. Now two workmen dropped to the pit, each working on a row of sheep to clean the sheep’s udders and attach the milking cups. The sound of regular pulsing beats of the milking machine could be heard, and a large glass reservoir above the bails began slowly Ailing with white milk.

Twice each day a flock of 400 Border Leicester crossbred sheep, each delivering about one quart of milk per day, are being milked on the farm to produce some 700 gallons per week. As we watched, the glass bowl regularly filled and emptied as the milk flowed through overhead pipes to the nearby dairy. Here it was cooled and run into two large covered stainless-steel refrigerated vats, to await dispatch to the cheese factory next morning.

We had the pleasure of meeting the owner of the property. He is an elderly Italian who migrated to Australia some forty-eight years ago. By ingenuity and hard work he has developed a large business producing eighteen varieties of cheese, including the two kinds from sheep's milk.

The owner was very proud of his unique project and was pleased to show us some of the other features of his farm, including one of two nurseries. Each contained several hundred beautiful, white, woolly lambs, kept cozily warm by oil heaters. Many were feeding from plastic teats attached to a central channel flowing with a specially prepared liquid diet. Wire mesh on the raised wooden slat floor allowed for easy cleaning and for preserving the hygienic conditions that prevail.

Next We moved upstairs to the shearing shed, where hundreds of sheep are led up from the yards below. Here they are shorn and the wool is graded and packed ready for the market. Looking down, we were able to see the entrance to the fenced yards, where the sheep are directed by fences through a chemical footbath as they enter and leave the area. Thus spread of infection among the sheep is carefully prevented.

Our guide explained that the large circular area fenced with a high steel wall that we could see below was actually a shower. Here the sheep from time to time are washed by shower jets from around the walls and overhead, just as is practiced on other sheep farms in Australia.

Returning to ground level, our tour had come to an end. We had visited Australia’s first sheep dairy farm, one of the few in the world, where much hard work and expense had been applied to transform a timbered area into a beautiful farmland.

The big issue in Alaska:

WHO SHOULD OWN THE LAND

IN A land of 375,000,000 acres and only 250,000 inhabitants, how could there possibly be a problem over landownership? Yet there is. To grasp the issue fully, one must appreciate the area involved as well as the true nature of the territory.

Alaska’s area is one-fifth the size of all the other continental states put together. And far from being a region of perpetual snow and ice as some have pictured it, the whole state, with exception of the mountainous areas, is virtually free of snow during the summer. It is not unusual to experience temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s above zero Fahrenheit, particularly in the Fairbanks area. Even temperatures of over 100° have been recorded.

Studies suggest that the future of agriculture in Alaska is most promising. Add to that the mineral wealth that has been uncovered—coal, iron, copper, gold—as well as the recently discovered gas and oil deposits in the Cook Inlet and North Slope areas. Then throw in also the resources of the forests and the surrounding seas, and one begins to realize Alaska’s tremendous riches.

Is there any wonder why ownership of such a rich land has become a boiling issue? Should the land be owned by the Alaskan natives, that is, the various aboriginal groups such as the Aleuts, the Eskimos and the Indians? Or, should the State of Alaska be the sovereign owner? Or, should the Federal government hold title in part, through its Bureau of Land Management?

Native Land Claims

Under the present arrangement, native groups are allowed to live on the ground and draw sustenance from the land, but not legally own it. The contention of these groups is that they have the right to own, develop and manage land their ancestors have “used and occupied since time immemorial.” These lands claimed involve 290 million acres of Alaska’s total of 375 million acres.

The Alaskan natives are asking for both full title to the land they claim, as well as compensation for the claim areas that have been taken from them. Full title would allow them to use the lands in the way that any owner might.

Development of these claims has involved research into the origin of land tenure, reaching back to the time when, by the Treaty of Cession (1867), Czarist Russia transferred Alaska to the United States for the sale price of $7,200,000. At the time there were many who considered this price exorbitant for “a frozen waste.” The Czar, as absolute sovereign of Russia, had vested in him the power to extinguish all rights and claims, even those of the native population. Thus, for an additional $200,000 he added a clause to the Treaty that was, in effect, a title guarantee protecting the United States against anyone else laying claim to the land.

The native claimants, however, contend that the intent of that guarantee was to protect the United States from any claims by the Russian-American Company, and not from claims by resident natives.

In further support of their claims, the native groups point to Article Three of the cession treaty, which states: “The uncivilized tribes will be subject to such laws and .regulations as the United States may from time to time adopt in regard to aboriginal rights of that country.”

Several courts have interpreted these “aboriginal rights” to include property rights, as in the case of United States vs. Berrigan (1905): “The uncivilized tribes of Alaska are wards of the government. The United States has the right, and it is its duty to protect the property rights of its Indian wards.”

Subsequent acts of Congress have continued to protect the native population to a degree, insofar as use and occupation of the lands have been concerned. But always Congress has shied clear of including the question of title to such lands. The native groups are now demanding title or just compensation.

The State’s Position

The State of Alaska sees no precedent in the dealings with the Indian tribes in the lower forty-eight states. Those Indian nations received titles to their lands by treaty after numerous wars. Thus, their ownership of the lands was established, and they could develop and utilize such lands as they wished. However, in Alaska the situation is different, some claim. No treaties were ever made with the native population, largely because there was little hostility and also because Congress abolished treaty making with the Indians in 1871.

Many feel, therefore, that the question is one of morals rather than law. Most of those involved in State functions feel that the native population should be compensated, though not to the full extent of their claims. Morally, it is felt that their “home” should not be taken from them without reasonable compensation.

Proposals for reimbursing the natives vary. Some favor paying two cents an acre based on the sale price of the land in 1867. Others are for giving the natives titles to the land that they need to maintain themselves. However, there are many questions that must be cleared up and settled.

The “Land Freeze”

The Department of the Interior has had land claims by Alaskan natives on its books for some twenty-five years. However, most of these have been filed since 1965, during a period when important mineral discoveries have been made. These claims involve 85 to 90 percent of the State’s total land area. Imagine the situation if 90 percent of the area of the lower 48 states were claimed by Indian groups!

In the past, the State did not consider a native claim on property to be a serious factor when determining ownership. But in recent years the native claimants have acquired more competent legal counsel. Their claims, though unchanged as to their validity, are not so easily dismissed as heretofore. And there has been so much publicity on the subject that, if they were dismissed, there could be a chain reaction of serious proportions. Even in recent State elections very little was said about the land claims by candidates because of its being so controversial a subject.

The United States Department of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management, paid little attention to the native claims while they were still few in number. Though no dispositions were made of the lands in question, oil and gas leases were granted. Recently, however, the Secretary of the Interior has decided that these land claims, vague though some of them are, do cast doubt on the availability of surface and mineral rights on such lands. The result has been the much-talked-about “land freeze."

The Statehood Act (1959) by Congress gave Alaska the option to select 105 million acres of Federal lands within Alaska before the expiration of a twenty-five-year period. Normally, after the State selects areas, the Bureau of Land Management runs a title check and, if satisfied, grants tentative approval to the State for their acquisition. Later, the State must be granted a patent to make the acquisition of the land documentary; though in the meantime the State assumes it has title when the tentative approval is received.

However, for the past year or so the Bureau has refrained from granting tentative approval of selections if any native claim is involved. Meantime, the State now has only seventeen years left in which to complete its selections. If the native claims are not solved in the near future and the selection of lands by the State is hindered, then the State will be unable to keep on granting gas and oil leases. One of Alaska’s major income sources thus would be adversely affected.

To forestall such consequences, the State of Alaska has filed suit against the Secretary. of the Interior, asking an injunction to prevent his department from interfering with the State's selection of lands, and so hindering the growth and development of Alaska.

Uncertainty of the Future

Native claimants and the State of Alaska, despite their differences, all want the same thing—development of Alaska’s resources. Both parties are agreed that there should be an early settlement of the issue. The State feels that only Congress has the authority to spell out the moral principles that would legalize the native claims. So, the waiting continues.

The latest proposal for settlement was made by the Federal Field Committee for Development Planning in Alaska. By its terms (1) 100 million dollars from the U.S. Treasury would be granted to a new corporation owned by Alaskan natives; (2) such native corporation would be granted 10 percent of all income from leasing or sale of minerals from Federal loans for ten years for giving up their right to the land; (3) the natives would receive four to seven million acres of land for their own use; and (4) protection to the natives for their fishing and hunting subsistence would be provided.

Even if agreement by compromise is reached, there will still be many problems crying for solution. For example, native leaders have proposed that compensation or allocation of lands be made on an individual rather than on a tribal basis. If applied individually, years might well be spent in court sessions to determine who would be entitled to a piece of land or a money grant. Courts would also have to settle the question of whether those of only part native blood would be eligible.

Alaskans are eagerly awaiting settlement of this big issue involving landownership.

AMONG the parables that Jesus Christ gave was the one about a certain man who had prepared a banquet or “grand evening meal” for the many guests he had invited. The parable says: “He sent his slave out at the hour of the evening meal to say to the invited ones, ‘Come, because all things are now ready.’ But they all in common started to beg off."—Luke 14:16-20.

What is the meaning of this part of the parable?¹ The certain man who provided the “grand evening meal” could be none other than Jehovah God, the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present.” (Jas. 1:17) This is also apparent from a similar parable in which a king makes a wedding supper for his son. (Matt. 22:2) The slave by whom he notified the invited guests that the “grand evening meal” was ready would, logically, be Jesus Christ, who issued invitations for his heavenly Father. And what is the “grand evening meal”? It would represent the opportunities to be in line for the kingdom of the heavens.—Matt. 4:17.

When was this first invitation given to become a part of the kingdom of the heavens, and to whom? It appears that Jesus gave this invitation during the three and a half years that he preached. During this time it was the religious leaders who, above all others, had the first opportunity to come to be in line for the kingdom of the heavens. They were familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and therefore best in a position to appreciate the invitation. This is also indicated by the fact that Jesus told one person whom he had cured not to tell anyone else about it but to show himself to the priest.—Matt. 8:4.

That these had the first opportunity to be in line for the heavenly kingdom is also apparent from Jesus’ words to these religious leaders at the close of his ministry: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.” “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks together under her wings! But you people did not want it.” The religious leaders did not want it. They were more interested in their selfish pursuits and possessions than in God’s kingdom.—Matt. 21:43, 45; 23; 37, 38.

The parable goes on to say: "So the slave came up and reported these things to his master. Then the householder became wrathful and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly into the broad ways and the lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ ” —Luke 14:21.

Particularly beginning with Pentecost did this part of the parable have fulfillment. Those looked down upon and despised, even as was Lazarus when compared to the rich man, were then invited, and these responded. These two classes are likewise set in contrast in the parable of the “penny,” in which those serving all day grumbled at what those who had worked for only one hour received.—Matt. 20:1-16; Luke 16:19-31; Acts 2:14-41.

For three and a half years after Pentecost this Kingdom invitation was extended to the lowly ones of the Jewish nation. But, as the parable went on to say: “In time the slave said, ‘Master, what you ordered has been done, and yet there is room.’ ” So the master said to his slave: “Go out into the roads and the fenced-in places and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” This third invitation was extended still farther out, beyond the city of Jerusalem itself. This would well picture how the Kingdom invitation with urgency then went out beyond the nation of Israel to the Gentiles, Cornelius and his household being the first to accept this invitation.—Luke 14:22, 23; Acts 10:1-48.

In modern times the same pattern has been apparent, even as in the parables of the rich man and Lazarus and of the "penny.” The religious leaders had the first opportunity. Being more interested in selfish and personal matters than in God’s kingdom, they begged to be excused. In their place the spiritually poor, crippled, blind and lame have been invited and have responded. The invitation has even gone out to the heathen nations so that all the seats in the banquet might be filled.—Rev. 14:1, 3.

However, Jehovah God has not only prepared a banquet or "grand evening meal” for those in line for the kingdom of the heavens, but he also has a banquet of blessings of which the “other shetep” partake right here on earth. (John 10:16) This banquet is described at Isaiah 25:6, 8: “Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, . . . a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered. He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears front all faces.”*

Just think what that banquet will mean! There will be not only an abundance of material food for all peoples, but also an

* See also The              April 15, 1965-abundance of spiritual food. More than that, there will be no more tears, no more sorrow. Even dead ones win be resurrected; otherwise it could not be said that Jehovah swallowed up death forever.

Would you like to be in line for this banquet? If so, then you must meet certain requirements, even as was the case with those invited to the “grand evening meal.” When you hear the good news about this banquet you may not beg off and either ignore it altogether or give it a secondary place. Rather, you must keep on seeking first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. That means being conscious of your spiritual needs and appreciating that man does not live by bread alone but by every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.—Matt. 6:33; 5:3; 4:4.

That, in turn, means you will need to take in spiritual food regularly, both by a private study of God’s Word and by associating with others to hear God’s Word expounded and taught at the congregational assemblies of God’s people. More than that, it means also acting on what you learn, for Jesus said: “My food is for me to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.” What kind of work are we to do? Sharing in the grand proclamation work now going on of telling all who will listen the good news of God’s kingdom, in keeping with the prophetic command at Matthew 24:14. Included also is the work of making disciples of people of all nations and baptizing them. That work requires both patience and perseverance.—John 4: 34; Matt. 28:19, 20.

As added opportunities are presented to you, do not beg off, but be like Isaiah, who, when he heard the call, responded with, “Here I am! Send me.” Doing so, you will be sharing in a spiritual feast now and will assure yourself a place at the banquet for all peoples in God’s new order.—Isa. 6:8.

French Franc Devalued

Early in August Georges Pompidou’s government in a surprise move cut the value of the French franc, from 20,255 U.S. cents to 18.004. Pompidou stated; “Common sense advises us to align the franc on a rate recognized in foreign markets,” He explained.' “We content ourselves with taking note of a fact and acting on it.” The announcement took the world by surprise. The devaluation is the 13th for the franc in the past 40 years,

Death of Churches Foreseen

<$> Clergyman Richard Sutcliffe surprised delegates to the Eastern Canada Synod of the Lutheran Church by stating that the institutional church will be dead in five years. He stated: “Anyone who can read the signs can see it coming and inside of five years. . . . God is telling me to get out of the protection of the institutional church and into that hellish world.” Sutcliffe observed that "the world no longer respects clergymen. Part of it is our fault.” In view of such comments, how timely the message of Jehovah’s witnesses who have been urging honest-hearted religious people to flee such dying Babylonish religious systems.

-Rev. 18:4.

'Give Ten-Year-Olds

Contraceptives’ <*> The increasing tide of immorality, illegitimate births and abortions among teenagers in Great 'Britain prompted Anglican clergyman Guy Daniel of Coinbrook in Buckinghamshire to advocate that contraceptive devices be supplied to girls as young as ten years of age.

The Dangers of Tobacco

Toronto, Canada, juvenile court judge William Little stated: “Tobacco is one of the most harmful drugs. Few can disclaim the lethal attributes of tobacco. Tobacco meets the requirement of a narcotic. It's habit forming. There's no question about it. The insidious thing about tobacco is that it can kill you.” In spite of such testimony even young children of 13 and 14 years of age are becoming addicted to the tobacco habit.

Conscience Triumphs

<$> The habit of loyalty and obedience, developed during twenty-three years in the priesthood, made James P. Shannon, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, try to uphold Pope Paul VI’s encyclical asserting that “each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life.” In a confidential letter to the pope, Shannon said that he had found the birth control teaching “simply impossible of observance by many faithful and generous spouses.” “I cannot believe that God binds men to impossible standards,” the bishop said. “I must now reluctantly admit that I am ashamed of the kind of advice I have given some of these good people . . . because it has not been an honest reflection of my inner convictions.” Later, Shannon formally submitted his resignation as Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis and pastor of St. Helena’s parish.

The Moon and the Hungry

< The American Ambassador to the United Nations, Charles Yost, issued a sober reminder that the conquest of space still leaves the earth in bad shape. "Half the world’s people still go to bed undernourished and hungry," he said. “Education in most countries is still inadequate in quantity and still more inadequate in quality.” The human_race, the ambassador said, suffered from both scientific and moral schizophrenia: “We fly to the moon, we conquer old age, we pour out a fabulous stream of goods, we build more and more centers of learning for young people; yet, at the same time, we tolerate massive wrongs against the quality of human life.” “In almost every country,” he said, young people “are demanding of us who govern them what we are doing with their world.”

Spain Sentences Priests

Five Roman Catholic priests were given prison terms ranging from 10 to 12 years by a Spanish military court for Basque separatist activities. The Basque priests were tried on charges of military rebellion and dispensing subversive propaganda. At least 40 priests were reported under arrest, and others have gone underground to escape detention. The Basque fight tor independence is centuries old, and priests often have led the fighters. The arrests and sen-tenting of priests has raised a thorny issue between the Vatican and the Spanish government.

Desalination Gaining

& The ancient effort to turn salt water into fresh is finally gaining on a world scale. Desalted water available for drinking has reached 133,000,000 gallons per day, an increase of 34 percent over the past two years. There were reportedly some 25 desalination plants completed in 1967 and 1968—20 in developing countries—and another 14 are currently under construction.

The Tax Treadmill

<$> If it takes the average United States citizen an hour to fill out his tax return, the government will spend in that same amount of time $22,000,000. The calculation is based on the government’s budget for fiscal 1970, amounting to $192,900,000,000. That is $100,-000,000,000 more than 1960, just 10 years ago. How fast Is the government spending tax dollars? Counting every day and every hour during the year, including weekends and holidays, the spending pace is about $22,-000,000 per hour, $367,000 per minute and over $6,000 per second.

Divorce and the Church

<$> An oft repeated myth is that the Roman Catholic Church has always banned divorce. One result of the current theological ferment, however, is the exploding of old myths by scholars. The evidence, as unearthed by reputable Catholic theologians, indicates that the Catholic church allowed divorce and remarriage for at least the first 11 centuries of Its existence. Thomas D. Roberts, a Jesuit archbishop said: “I was appalled to find that I had never heard the facts about the church’s actual past teaching on divorce. I didn’t know anything about these things, and here I was a bishop at the Vatican Council and 73 years old at the time. The truly appalling thing is that I had gone right through my Jesuit training and become a bishop without having heard the facts. This shows how badly we’ve been taught, even the so-called theologians amongst us," The discovered fact is that a number of popes of the past granted divorce and remarriage to Roman Catholics.

TV Violence

<$> Dr. Fredric Wertham, the noted New York psychiatrist and author of A Sign for Cain: An Exploration of Human Violence said: “Violence on the screen is depicted as a way of life. Few arguments or conflicts on TV are settled without a fight. Never is it taught in this School for Violence that violence itself is reprehensible.’’ Dr. Wertham has estimated that the average youth today may, between the ages of 5 and 14, have seen the violent destruction of more than 12,000 people. As long as violence is so prominent in the fantasy world of television, movies and comics, there will always be the possibility ,of confusion between fantasy violence and real-life violence in the minds of young children. A six-year-old boy, son of a policeman, asked his father for real bullets because his little sister does not "die for real when I shoot her like they do when Matt Dillon kills them” on television.

Cars in Canada

<$> According to the Canadian Press, car ownership in Canada expanded last year at more than three times the rate of population growth. Automobiles registered last year amounted to one ear for every 3.4 people in Canada.

Honesty a “Hang-Up”

<$> One would imagine that an educator and a priest would uphold youths* demand for honesty in all things, but apparently not so. Edmund Ryan, S.J., told members of a university club that there exists among college students today “a cult of sincerity,” in which the principle of honesty as the best policy is carried to extremes. Honesty, he said, is a “hang-up” of youth today. The priest told the audience how one student asked him what he thought about the atomic bomb. His reply was that it should be used only as a last resort. “Take off that collar!” the student demanded. “As a priest you should see that the bomb is immoral.” Ryan said that the youth even after discussion left firmly convinced that he, the priest, was a warmonger. Was he not? Would Jesus Christ have said the atomic bomb should be used as a last resort? It is unthinkable to conclude that.

War’s High Costs

The total cost of the Vietnam war has been estimated to have passed the $110,000-000,000 mark. According to James L. Clayton, a professor at the University of Utah, the Vietnam war is the most expensive war in U.S. history, with the exception of World War II. Clayton told a Senate committee: “The cost of the Vietnam conflict, even assuming a major deescalation at the end of this year and a total withdrawal next year, will be about $350 billion." The war in Vietnam, he stated, "has cost ten times more than support for education, and 33 times more than was spent for housing and community development. We have spent ten times more money on Vietnam in ten years than we have spent in our entire history for public higher education or for police protection.” If the trend continues, he said, wars may soon he simply too expensive to contemplate and governments too cumbersome to endure.

Christian Dimension Lost

G. Emmett Carter, Roman Catholic bishop of London, Ontario, recently told a group of high school students: "The Roman Catholic Church has separated itself too far from the world of men.” He stated that the true goal of the church has been lost through "superficial and exaggerated legalism.” Because of losing touch with mankind, "the church lost sight of the ‘Christian dimension' and began to value a false asceticism.” He described the “Christian dimension” as being to love your neighbor as yourself. As a result, more and more people feel that their religion of

Christendom is irrelevant and meaningless for this day.

Man Pollutes Ocean

<$> Thor Heyerdahl of the expedition craft Ra said a disturbing factor of his 40 days at sea was to see the way man has polluted the seas. Every once in a while, he said, they saw some bottles or plastic containers sailing in the same current but slower. "But this is not so scaring,” said Heyerdahl. “What really is disturbing is that we have sailed for hours in a sea filled with an ugly black substance composed of some sort of petroleum product. We ran into large areas filled with this waste, first off the coast of Spanish Sahara, and a few days later off the coast of Mauretania in northwest Africa. ... A month later we sailed into a similarly polluted area. Here in mid-ocean between Africa and Central America we again noticed the disgusting appearance of the water as soon as we bent over to wash in the morning, and there was no improvement by the time we crawled into bed at night. The material looked like spongy brown matter from a sewer when floating by, but resembled black soft asphalt when picked up. The lumps vary in size from small crumbs to a loaf of bread as it floats here and there, . . , from horizon to horizon and beyond.”

Unsinkable Lifeboats

<$> A new spherical-shaped fiber glass lifeboat promises to eliminate the dangers of tipping upon lowering, of capsizing or being swamped. Tests conducted with the 5,500-pound lifeboat, which measures 12 feet in diameter and can accommodate 28 people, indicate that regardless of the position of the ship, or the capsule’s impact with the water, the vessel will remain upright and afloat.

What Is Man’s Origin?

What is your view of the origin of man? Most persons would answer without hesitation: “Why, he is the product of evolutionary changes over countless millenniums of time.” But, have you ever considered the possibility of another origin, one that is backed up by remarkable evidences? one that scientific facts cannot successfully contradict? Read the revealing and rewarding book Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation? Send only 2/3 (for Australia, 25c; for South Africa, 18c).

WATCH TOWER      THE RIDGEWAY      LONDON N.W. 7

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WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR ?

Have you ever asked yourself: “What am I living for?” Most persons have and many are not satisfied with the answers. Are you?

For over ninety years The Watchtower has been giving real incentive for viewing the future with confidence. That confidence has not been misplaced. Now, with world conditions constantly worsening, there is even more reason to be encouraged. That is because persons of our generation have the prospect of living to enjoy a thousand years of peace! Does that seem incredible? Then you owe it to yourself to consider the evidences.

This past summer the subject "The Approaching Peace of a Thousand Years” was the featured talk at the “Peace on Earth" International Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Hundreds of thousands in attendance thrilled at the prospect and the part they can have in that blessed future. If you yearn to enjoy that foretold ‘peace on earth for men whom God favors,’ join with them in getting ready.

Read The Watchtower regularly. During the next twelve months this important talk; along with other principal talks of the assembly, will be featured. In addition, many other fine articles dealing with our hope for the future will be published. You will be aided to answer in a more positive way the question: "What am I living for?"

Send at once.                              One year, 9/-

(for Australia, $1; for South Africa, 70c).

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¹

See also The Watchtower, October 1, 1944.