The Merchant Marine Also Served

Editor: We can never repay the dedication, selfless efforts and professional expertise of our men and women of the Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard in the Persian Gulf and to their support personnel everywhere else. They have a special place in our hearts and prayers, and deservedly so.

But we seem to be, once again, ignoring the critical contribution of our men and women of the U.S. merchant marine.

Unarmed, like sitting ducks, they dodge the same mines, sail under the same dangers of missiles and bomb attack and make the same personal sacrifices of months away from home and family to fulfill their role of getting the tanks, oil, weapons, helicopters, etc., to the scene of the conflict.

Without this support by sea, there would be no hope of victory in war. Planes can carry just so much men and ordnance; the rest must come by sea.

Foreign-flag ships by appreciable numbers are refusing to sail into danger areas for a variety of reasons. So our maritime men and women had to do their best aboard many old "moth ball" buckets, brave the wild sea and get the goods to their brothers and sisters in arms in the desert in time to keep the heat on Iraq.

It is estimated that more than three fourths of the ordinance and equipment delivered over the months has gone by sea.

Possibly, at last, the United States will recognize the critical role of its American-flag maritime fleet and keep it on a par with those of other world nations.

To the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y. (yes, there is a fifth service academy), and to our state maritime schools located in places like Maine, Massachusetts and Texas A&M;, and to our maritime union schools, go our salute and humble appreciation for their contribution to America's strength and safety in eloquently preparing our men and women of the maritime service.

!Earl Paul Schubert Sr.

Annapolis.

Stupid Letter

Editor: Last December I wrote The Sun about the disastrous cuts which Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer proposed to make in state medical programs for the disabled. He has since sent me a reply in which he alleged that I was "uninformed" and that my correspondence was a "stupid" letter.

After some deliberation, I decided that the best way to answer Mr. Schaefer was to ask him for a job, albeit an unpaid one. I am willing to donate my spare time to fill any unfunded state position which benefits the disabled citizens of Washington County. Furthermore, I am willing to "do it now."

Edward B. Grebenstein, Jr.

Hagerstown.

The writer is a member of the Western Maryland Coalition for the Disabled.

Foolish Remark

Editor: Arguing against an increase in state taxes, Sen. James C. Simpson, (D-Charles), may have uttered the most foolish remark to come out of this year's General Assembly session when he said: "I do not think a recession is the time to take money out of the marketplace."

Sen. Simpson seems to be operating under the delusion that any new tax dollars would be stashed under Gov. William Donald Schaefer's mattress, when in fact they would be used to build new schools and to repair the state's roads and bridges. This would create new jobs in the private sector which is always eager to bid on new state projects. This hardly amounts to "taking money out of the marketplace." Rather, such spending would pump up the state's economy by putting income into the pockets of working people who would be able to buy more cars and qualify for more home mortgages and would benefit the state by making it a more hospitable environment for new business investment.

In short, public works projects are the single best means of protecting incomes during a recession, and Sen. Simpson, veteran legislator that he is, should know it.

Howard Bluth.

Baltimore.

Rapid Fire

Editor: The Sun's editorial was right on the mark in accusing the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee of abrogating its responsibility in voting down the ban on rapid-fire assault weapons and the requirement that adults keep guns locked and out of reach of children.

Gov. William Donald Schaefer and members of the House of Delegates are to be commended for refusing to be intimidated by the National Rifle Association. I wish The Sun would publish a list of those senate committee members who voted negatively, along with their reasons for so voting.

The excuse given by Sen. Janice Piccinini is entirely unacceptable and indicates that she does not follow the daily accounts of crimes committed with assault weapons.

I have never understood the rationale of the NRA -- that all types of guns should be readily available to all people, with no restrictions imposed. Nor can I understand why our lawmakers are so fearful of the wrath of the NRA.

Come on, senators, show a little guts -- and a little common sense.

Mary W. Griepenkerl.

Baltimore.

Keep to the Right

Editor: The recent article highlighting the "Clickit and Ticket" campaign, and the comments by Col. Elmer H. Tippet of the state police, indicates that one more brick has been placed into the wall of ignorance, built on the false foundation that all that is required to reduce road fatalities is an army of radar-wielding police officers.

The damaging effects of any object striking another, at a greater versus a moderate speed, are beyond dispute. What I find incredibly disturbing is acceptance of the inevitability of automobile collisions at the current or even elevated frequency.

The single most contributing factor in the chaos on the roads is that keeping-to-the-right, the very foundation of an orderly traffic system, lacks enforcement.

To allow vehicles to pass one another on either the right or left is to have no system at all. The importance of this simple rule has been overlooked.

Ken Stranger.

Bel Air.

Highway Builders Face Rough Road

Editor: We applaud your astute understanding of Maryland's transportation funding situation and your recognition of the importance of transportation to the quality of life in the state.

Maryland's transportation system needs additional funding now. We cannot take a wait-and-see attitude. Thousands of jobs and other benefits to the economy literally ride on highway funding.

The public and the General Assembly must consider these points:

In 1987 it was recognized that the five cent per gallon increase in fuel user fees would only fund one-third of the projects identified on the Maryland Department of Transportation's development and evaluation plan.

The administration's proposal of $1.5 billion over five years is the minimum level of funding necessary.

While we oppose transferring $76 million from the transportation trust fund to the general fund, simply denying this transfer still leaves MDOT woefully underfunded.

In fact, all funding levels discussed by the transportation revenue committee assume no transfer of funds.

Right now the highway construction industry is facing devastation without an immediate increase in highway funding.

All major highway projects have been placed on hold in order to preserve MDOT's cash flow, which is desperate. Without a funding increase, we could be faced with no new project bid openings for 18 months. Immediate action is needed to save the 1991 construction season.

Additional highway funding is needed now. These investments pay off handsomely in terms of employment and other economic benefits to state and local government.

Robert E. Latham.

Glen Burnie.

The writer is executive director of the Maryland Highway Contractors Association.

Local Control

Editor: The Baltimore City renaissance was a collaborative effort of government, business, civic groups and neighborhood organizations. The Greater Baltimore Committee was a major player in this effort and often took the lead in planning and financing major projects as well as promotional programs.

Downtown redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization did not occur haphazardly but through careful and thoughtful planning that always involved those who would be most affected.

I was therefore disappointed to learn that the GBC would even consider suggesting that Baltimore City's education system be absorbed by the State of Maryland.

Successful public school systems have always been better administered under local control.

Before we become so frustrated and condemn our present system, let us remember that widespread efforts at school reform during the last few years have led to a good deal of healthy experimentation and have produced some quite concrete effects, including changes in teacher certification procedures, improvement in teacher compensation, new curricular designs and the promising uses of technology. There are also rising annual scores on the part of students in mastering basic literacy skills.

Although the current rates of semi-literacy or functional illiteracy are disturbingly high, there is little doubt that these rates are less high than those of a quarter century ago, and far less high than a half century ago. In one sense the education situation in Baltimore viewed in historical perspective, can be seen as somewhat reassuring: Very large segments of the population were once clearly illiterate, and this is simply no longer the case.

I implore the GBC to roll up its sleeves and join Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke and the over 200 businesses and civic organizations and city agencies that have formed partnerships with our public schools.

This kind of thoughtful, deliberate and respectful involvement can only help in improving our public school system.

Lenwood M. Ivey.

Baltimore.

The writer is president of the Baltimore City Foundation, Inc.