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Candidates For Con Con Primary Sec. 2, Pg. 2 - Plaindealer - Fri. Sept. 19, 1969 Patriotism Is Far From Dead JeoiMtte Mullen 90 Hart rd., Barrington William J. Hughes 370 S. Ridge rd., Lake Forest Joseph E. Coleman 1703 N. River dr., Algonquin '• Sheldon Karon 913 Rollingwood rd. Highland Park Samuel T. Lawton Jr. 230 Oak Knoll ter., Highland Park John M. Thompson 418 Main Street rd., Spring Grove Photograph not received Robert S. Cushman 739 Kimball rd., Highland Park The purpose of a constitu­ tion is to provide a frame­ work for government to oper­ ate with stability and flexibil­ ity. To achieve that purpose, con­ stitutions must (1) regulate the exercise of governmental au­ thority and protect citizens from its unfair or improper use; (2) establish the princi­ pal organs of government and define their relations to each other and to the people; (3) make provisions for orderly change to meet needs of a dy­ namic society. State constitutions include more detail because of resi­ dual powers - that is, all pow­ ers not specifically assigned to the federal government be­ come the responsibility of the state. In the past, designers of state constitutions felt they had tQ^be precise and inclusive. This led to constitutions full of unnecessary detail requir­ ing outmoded procedures be followed and so specific that contemporary problems are al- most"Tffipossible to solve. The heart of the problem in Illinois lies in the fact that we have a detailed constitution combined with a difficult amending process. This was not always so. Illinois' first con­ stitution was written in 1818. Thirty years later a conven­ tion was called to rewrite it to keep pace with the state's rap­ id development. After the Civ­ il War, Illinois' growing pop­ ulation and increasing indus­ trialization presented a new challenge, to which the people responded with a third consti­ tutional convention. The result was the document of 1870, un­ der which we still function to­ day. Amending the constitution ar­ ticle by article has become ex­ tremely difficult. Like other parts of the constitution of 1870 the amending procedure re­ flected general distrust of gov­ ernment prevalent in that post­ war period. It stipulated that passage of an amendment or a call to convention must receive a majority vote of all citizens going to the polls in the gen­ eral election. And only one ar­ ticle could be amended at a time. It took 25 years and four elec­ tion tries before an amendment was passed to ease the situa­ tion. The 'Gateway amendment' of 1950 liberalized the process. It provided that the legislature could submit proposals to amend three articles at each election. These amendments could pass with approval of eith­ er a majority of all voters or 2/3 of the vote on the prop- position. A prohibition was re­ tained against submitting a- mendments to any article more than once in four years. The Illinois constitution is still not easily amended, how­ ever. Since 1950 fifteen amend­ ments have been presented to the voters. Seven have pass­ ed, only two providing substan­ tive changes. Recognizing the difficulty of piece-meal change, the people of Illinois voted last Novem­ ber for a total review of the constitution. Following the present con­ stitution's provisions, the Gen­ eral Assembly set up the ma­ chinery for primary and gen­ eral elections of delegates to the convention. The General As­ sembly also allocated operat­ ing funds and designated sal­ aries. The appropriation: Salaries and expenses of dele­ gates ($625 per month per delegate for no more than 8 months, plus $75 a day for each day in attendance at ses­ sions) $1,750,000 (Elected officials serving as Elmer E. Koske 33 N. Holly Ave., Fox Lake Lawrence L Lee Jr. 6312 S. Robert rd., Cary Norman C. Geary 230 S. Slusser St., Gray slake Jeffrey It Ladd 85 S. Oak st., Crystal Lake Robert G. Cronson Box 171, Rte. 1, Mundelein Have Americans grown cynical about patriotism -- about displaying the Ameri­ can flag? Not if a recent experience of a major U.S. manufactur­ ing firm is any indication. In fact, the opposite may be true. Tired, perhaps, of the vocal and destructive dissent of a few, the' majority of Americans may be ready to stand up and be counted. The 3M Company sees indications this is so. Re­ cently, its Reflective Products division began a modest pro­ gram to offer American Flags to its customers throughout the United States. Made of re­ flective material, the flags come in three sizes. An ad­ hesive backing makes them suitable for display on any clean, dry surface such as an automobile bumper or window. Prior to making the flags available to customers, 3M president Harry Heltzer sent a flag to every one of the company's 36,500 employees in the United States. A brief accompanying letter.ended " . . .1 invite you, as an American, to display the enclosed American flag as an expression of the respect for what our flag signifies ..." Employees reacted with scores of congratulatory letters. " . . . W e w e r e d e l i g h t e d t o receive our American flag bumper sticker. It gives me personal gratification to know I am employed by a leader, not only of industry, b u t a l s o i n p r o m o t i n g America ..." wrote a female employee in the company's Coated Abrasives division. " . . . Thank you, Mr. Heltzer, for the flag. Please tell me how I can get addi­ tional flags ..." wrote the wife of an employee at the company's Chemolite plant in Cottage Grove, Minn. " . . . W e h a v e j u s t p u t t h e flag on one of our cars. Would it be possible to get one for my Model A Ford? We, too, believe in 'waving the flag'," wrote an employee, from Feasterville, Penn. " . . . G r e a t ! I ' m w i t h y o u . More of this sort of thing should be done. I need two more, and I want some to give to friends," wrote an employee from St. Paul. " . . . I h o p e I d o n o t a p p e a r p r e s u m p t u o u s i n w r i t i n g t o y o u . . . ( b u t ) . . . I felt a great sense of pride as an employee of 3M that a company of our size and stature would take the time and effort to try to stress the importance of patriotism at this crucial, unsettled time in every American home. My husband is retired from the U.S. Army. One son honor­ ably discharged from the U.S. Air Force. Our youngest son is making a career of the U.S. Navy. He's returned to active service aboard the U.S.S. E n t e r p r i s e a f t e r b e i n g delegates will receive no compensation.) Administrative expenses of the audit in connection with the convention. $30,000 Mileage, postage and expenses of the delegates (15 cents per mile for travel to and from sessions and $120.00 per del­ egate for postage..$1,100,000 Total $2,880,000 Additional appropriation will be made later for non-delegate staff. The General Assembly in­ structed that the convention keep a verbatim journal of pro­ ceedings and a transcript of debates. Convention commit­ tees are to keep records and reports. The enabling legisla­ tion set Dec. 8 as the open­ ing date for the convention. The governor will call the first meeting to order and preside until a temporary president is chosen. The convention is then on its own. -* The 116 delegates (two from each of 58 state senatorial dis­ tricts) will organize into work­ ing committees* study back­ ground materials and hold hear-- ings. Final decisions on anew con­ stitution will rest with the vo­ ters. Changes maybe submitted to the electorate by one of sev­ eral ways: as a total package, by individual amendments, as a partial package with various ad­ ditions or alternates, or by some other method of presen­ tation. A special election must be held not less than two months or more than six months af­ ter adjournment of the conven­ tion. A simple majority vote is required to accept the docu­ ment. The following questionnaire sent by the League of Women Voters was answered by can­ didates for the Con-Con pri­ mary election to be held Sept. 3. These are three of the most important questions in­ cluded: 1. List civic, governmental, and other exper­ iences which you feel relate to your ability to serve as a member of the constitution. Position or experience THOMPSON - Father and grandfather. Farmer. Small businessman. Active as chairman and in other capacities with special events and fund drives benefitting both the public schools and retarded children's facilities. Former builder. LAWTON - Mayor of Highland Park, 1967 to date; city councilman, High­ land Park; board member school district 108, president 1962-63; member, vice-chair­ man Illinois Air Pollution Con­ trol board, 1967 to date; mem­ ber, Highland Park plan com­ mission; member, Highland Park zoning board of appeals; member, executive committee Anti-Defamation league; mem­ ber, advisory committee North­ eastern Illinois plan commis­ sion; instructor, John Marshall Law school, 1951-57; chairman North Shore Sanitary district advisory committee. MULLEN - State legislation chairman for League of Women Voters of Ill­ inois, revenue chairman for state League of Women Voters. Member, Lake county board of health. Member, welfare service com­ mittee of Lake county Public Aid department, 1951 to present. HUGHES - Caucus committee school dis­ trict 73% (Skokie). Advisory board Lake county community action project. COLEMAN - Thirty years practice of law, ten years civil service legis­ lation and litigation; general p r a c t i c e : l a b o r l a w y e r a n d m u n ­ icipal government. General practice representing people in all walks of life. Aricle II, Bill of Rights. Article V, Executive Dept. Article VI, Judicial Dept. KARON - Member of Chicago, Illinois and American Bar associations and American Judicature so­ ciety. Litigation of constitutional questions in behalf of clients and as court-appointed counsel. CUSHMAN - President, school district 108, 1950-1955; mayor, Highland Park, 1955-1963; chairman, Ill­ inois Revenue Study commis­ s i o n , 1 9 6 3 ; c o m m i s s i o n e r . Northeast Metropolitan Plan commission. KOSKE - Village trustee (third term, tenth year). Road Commissioner. Active participant in local grade school improvement program. Silver Lake P.O. A. - vicepres­ ident two years, treasurer two years, legislative committee chairman. L E E - Equipment operator, Algonquin Township road district; attend­ ed Marshall high school (Chi­ cago), Wright junior college. GEARY - Grayslake village trustee, 1957-61. Township chairman town board (Avon); member, Lake county board of supervisors; township precinct committeeman (Avon - 1). LADD - School advisory boards; cham­ ber of commerce, past pres­ ident; United Fund, campaign chairman; Young Builders Council of Chicago, past vice- president; public relations committee for Homebuilders of Chicagoland, past chairman. CRONSON - Assistant secretary of state of Illinois. 2. What is your brief description of the purpose and general approach of a constitution for Illi­ nois? THOMPSON - The purpose of the Illinois state consti­ tutional convention is to establish and preserve basic free­ doms and individual rights for all citizens of the state. The document itself must be kept readily understandable and free from legal jargon. The state constitution must provide for a workable executive branch of state government, a represen­ tative legislature and a fair and impartial judiciary It must also provide for fair taxation through an up-to-date revenue article. And lastly, the constitution must not encumber the effective use of state revenue in support of such essential services as public education, mental and public health, agriculture and commerce, and highways. LAWTON - The drafting of a broad constitution express­ ing fundamental law should be the objective of the convention. The present constitution impedes effective operation of govern­ ment in an era when government must be more responsive to the changing needs of its citizens and more efficient than ever before. The objective of the convention is to produce a docu­ ment responsive to the needs of the community, enabling the ef­ ficient operation of government on all levels. MULLEN - The purpose of a new constitution is to provide the governor and the legislature with the proper tools to per­ form their functions in today's social and economic context. The new constitution should provide principles and guidelines. De­ tails and specifics should be left to the legislature. The delegates should review the entire docume nt to determine which of the sections can be left untouched, which are obsolete, and which need extensive revision. The convention must create a frame­ work that will serve the people for years to come. Equally im­ portant, it must gain acceptance. HUGHES - The purpose of the constitution should be to give broad, general powers to the state officials. These powers should be the type which are applicable today as well as many years from now COLEM\N - The purpose is to recreate this living docu­ ment which is the basis of the legal government of all the people of the state of Illinois in a clear, simple and flexible legal framework that will enable our governmental representatives to function more effectively in dealing with affairs of state as they exist today and in the future. The general approach of the chosen delegates should be: To retain and preserve our inherent and inalienable rights. To delete the obsolete. To update the outdated, especially the provisions of Article IX, the revenue article. More to local governments for school operation including aid to parochial schools on a limited per­ centage. More flexibility in home rule. Reapportion me it and redisricting to reflect true and equit­ able representation. Further judicial reform in electing judges. Four-year term of office for legislators and full time de­ votion to annual sessions. An in Article IX, revenue and tax reform to abolish per­ sonal property tax, allow exemptions to residents of Illinois (citizens) from sales tax on food and medicines, and provide adjustments on real estate taxes to the elderly persons on pen­ sions and fixed incomes. In the approach to drawing up the new constitution, it should be remembered, that the purpose of a constitution is the crea­ tion of a document by the delegates chosen by the people for the purpose of setting forth the right of the people and setting forth the limitations placed upon the governing representatives of the people. It must therefore be clear, brief, concise yet flexible to meet present and future legal guidelines to be interpreted by the court. And of equal importance, it must meet the approval "of the people voting" on same by a "majority of the electors voting at the election" (Article XIV, Constitution of Illinois). KARON - The constitution for Illinois should be one framed in terms of broad fundamental principles which will give the document the necessary flexibility so that it can be responsive to change. It should establish the structure of government, define the powers of its branches as well as provide for the fundamental bill of rights for its citizens. It also must provide a practical method for amendment of its provisions. It should be free of leg­ islative detail. The drafting of a constitution is not the occasion for writing into the fundamental law the legislative program of any particular group. CUSHMAN - The present constitution must be brought up to date. What is good must be retained. What is obsolete or unwork­ able must be revised or eliminated. I am in favor of reasonable re­ straints on the General Assemb!y and the executive departments and do not favor trusting our rights and liberties wholly to the Gen­ eral Assembly. KOSKE - It is new to all of us. I believe that we have to make many changes. Personal property tax, state highway sys­ tem. The constitution should be a flexible document that will change to fit changing needs. LEE - A constitution that will equitably fill all the needs of all Illinois citizens now and in the future'. GEARY - The purpose is to revise an outmoded state con­ stitution and present new alternatives to the people of the dis­ trict and the state. The general approach should be not restric­ tive but, remembering this may have to last another 100 years, it should state broad general principles. It should be presented in sections with alternatives to the people, not as a unit. LADD - The threefold objectives of any constitution are: To protect people in the exercise of their civil liberties. To define the powers of government. To establish the more important, the more permanent in­ stitutions of government, such as the executive, the legislative and the judicial. The obligation of this convention is to establish basic ob­ jectives and to state the basic principles of our government in such a way that will allow modern, responsive government to function today andUfor many years to come. CRONSON - A constitution should provide structure of gov­ ernment and a delegation of authority between the branches of government and should not invade the legislative area, 3. What do you think will be the major issues confronting the convention? THOMPSON - Aid to private and parochial schools, revis­ ions of the revenue article, and review of the judicial article and establishing guidelines to free Illinois courts from politics. LAWTON - The major issues are revenue reform; struc­ ture, apportionment and term of the legislative branch; com- Dositio®. and means of selection of the executive branch; home rule; consideration on local and state debt limitation; improved judicial selection. MULLEIN - A new revenue article that will permit classi­ fication of property for tax purposes and define a total tax structure for both the state and its local governments is the most essential item for the convention to settle. Illinois needs a fair, flexible framework to raise money for essential services, to spread the tax burden as equitably as possible among the var­ ious sectors with due regard for its social and economic impact. Reapportionment: present (constitutional) provisions for sen­ ate districts, on the basis of area, have been held unconsti- tutional. A local government article to grant more home rule to mun­ icipalities and counties; to restructure local governments and en­ courage consolidation of the numerous special districts. • HUGHES - The revenue article; legislative, executive and judicial articles: home rule. COLEMAN - Article IX (revenue article), Article VI (elec­ tion of judges), Article II (Bill of Rights), Apportionment, rec­ ognition of need for and extended home rule, and perhaps, an additional article dealing with general health and welfare, and public safety. KARON - Review of the legislative article to consider such matters as annual sessions, reduction in size, staff and re­ search facilities, election procedures (reapportionment, separate elections, cumulative voting, etc). Review of the executive article to consider such matters as increasing the responsibility and authority of the governor, elimination of some of the constitutional offices as elected po­ sitions and joint election of the governor and lieutenant gover­ nor. Review of the revenue article to consider such matters as defining on a broad basis the taxing powers of the legisla­ ture and establishing standards for the fair and equitable dis­ tribution of the tax burden. Review of the local government provisions and related sections dealing with debt ceilings and taxing powers for the purpose of considering such matters as establishing provisions for local governmental units which eliminate the numerous spec­ ial service and special purpose governmental units and pro­ viding for home rule at certain levels of local government. CUSHM AN - Revenue, home rule, judicial, state aid to pri­ vate schools. KOSKE - Revenue article; state highway system; local gov­ ernment. LEE - Civil rights. GEARY - How to present the constitution to the people - piecemeal or as a unit. Whether it should be an. outline of principles or whether it should be detailed and restrictive. LADD - Certainly the major issue will be whether or not the citizen? of Illinois will trust government to perform the func­ tion required of it. In other words, will we as delegates produce a document of basic principles or one littered with elements of statutory law. This is of primary importance for an evolving society and its government. Home rule and the funding of it will remain an important question. This question will encompass the principles as well as reorganization of present governmental units. CRONSON - Revenue, local government, government finance, "short ballot," judicial revision, minority representation (leg­ islative). severely wounded on Jan. 14 th when the tragic fires and explosions aboard her occurr- e d . . . F o r g i v e m e f o r rambling, I only intended to say 'thank you' for the sticker and for helping to re­ affirm my faith in my fellow Americans ..." wrote a female employee of the company's pressure-sensitive tape plant in Bristol, Penn. This reaction, and similar reaction after flags were passed out at 3M's spring stockholders meeting, con­ firmed the firm's decision to offer American flags on a nationwide basis. Results? "The results amazed us all," says J.C. Landen, head of 3M's Reflective Products division traffic control pro­ ducts department. D u r i n g t h e f i r s t t h r e e weeks, orders were received for 875,000 American flags. M o s t l y , c u s t o m e r f i r m s planned to enclose them in pay envelopes or send them to em­ ployee homes in the mail. A m a j o r a i r c r a f t a n d missile manufacturer pur­ chased 15,000 flags. A Cali­ fornia utility purchased 22,000. A U.S. Navy shipyard ordered 10,000. A regional unit of a major national super-market chain ordered 10,000. A Chevrolet dealer in El Paso purchased 500. A B a l t i m o r e r a d i o s t a t i o n placed an order for 300. A VFW post in Richland Cen­ ter, Wis., wrote a check for 1,000. A daily newspaper in a medium-sized California city ordered 10,000 and ran a full-page advertisement noti­ fying readers of their avail­ ability. A m e r i c a n s h a v e n o t a b a n - , doned the ideals upon which their country was founded -- that patriotism is not dead.H M00DEDI SKI JACKETS BOMBER STYLE VINYL JACKETS Reverses f rom br ight mult i -color str ipe to sol id blue qui l ted sty le With warm pi le hood and asy z ipper f ront Heavy quilted lining keeps him warm in bitterest weather. Knit collar and cuffs keep wind out. Loden brown, blue. Boys' Sizes 6-16 Girl's Sizes 7-14 We show only 2 of the many styles of Jackets we stock. Our selection includes infants, boys, girls, men's and women's, plus coats for infants Sizes 3-6x and 7 to 12. , BENIFRAN KUN* 1250 N. GREEN ST. MCHENRY I u