In the Public Interest

On January 26, 1977, NBC News presented a television documentary entitled “Danger! Radioactive Waste.” The documentary team, directed by Joan Konner, filmed the sites of these lethal wastes, many of them lethal for thousands of years to come. The serious problems and various opinions about these ghastly residues from nuclear power plants were well presented,…

Does Jimmy Carter fear his own idealism? Why does he surround himself with top level aides, like James Schlesinger, his chief energy advisor, who has styled himself as a ‘left Republican”? The paradox of Mr. Carter is that he is more progressive than many of his top associates, if we are to believe what many…

The General Motors Chairman, Thomas A. Mur­phy, waxed angry before his New York business audience a few days ago. He attacked Washington rumors that the Carter Administration may pro­pose a tax on big, gas-guzzling automobiles as “one of the most simplistic, irresponsible and short-sighted ideas ever conceived” with effects that “the hip shooting marketeers of…

The disastrous Canary Island run­way crash of two jumbo jets operated by KLM and Pan American raises anew the questions: Why have not the airlines or their over-accommo­dating regulator, the FAA, required the aircraft manufacturers to build more passenger survivability into airplanes? Most commercial airline crashes occur on landing or takeoff at low altitudes and…

With the approaching April 20 release date for President Carter’s major energy plan, James Schlesinger, his energy chief, remains a strong nuclear power booster. This position is not in accord with either the tone or the direction of Carter’s repeated criticism and down­grading of nuclear power during the campaign months. Calling nuclear power a “last…

The soft drink and food processing industries are prowling the halls of Congress like a baying pack. They are after the Delaney amendment to the food and drug laws. Named after Rep. James Delaney (D.-N.Y.), this amendment prohibits the sale of any food additive that causes cancer in humans or animals. WHO WOULDN’T BE incensed…

At the age of 86, George Seldes has just finished his 19th book. The venerable muckraker of the press during six decades of reporting and investi­gative effort believes that today’s press is gener­ally better than yesterday’s in printing facts about big business and other formerly taboo subjects. But in his new book, “Even the Gods…

A group of spirited employees at the American Safety Razor Company (ASR) plant in Staunton, Va., are honing a political action strategy against the Federal Trade Commission. At issue are hun­dreds of jobs and the kind of antitrust dilemma that most government lawyers would rather not have to resolve. Here are the facts at their…

Four young reporters from the Children’s Express recently interviewed me. They ranged in age from 10 to 13 years and asked very though-provoking questions on consumer and environmental subjects. Children’s Express is a new monthly magazine written by children. Americans first heard of this delightful idea at the Democratic National Convention last July. The children…

Few situations are more pleasant to follow than a determined businessman on a public interest crusade. One such advocate is William N. Plymat, a co-founder and just retired Chairman of the Board of the Preferred Risk Mutual Insurance Company. From his offices in Des Moines, Iowa, Plymat is accelerating his long fight against al­coholism by…