June, 1985

MILITARY HARDWARE

(It's not what you pay, it's what you get that counts!)

From the halls of congress, to the Oval Office, and from there to the Pentagon and back again, the flood of oratory, persuasion and recrimination concerning the amount of money that should be allocated to the military budget is sweeping at full tide. How many billions can safely be extracted from the pockets of the long suffering citizens for the purchase of new military hardware, and will that amount be enough to keep the armament makers happy and prosperous?

President Reagan and the leaders of the Pentagon agree that the U.S. military hardware is badly outclassed by that of the Soviet Union, and that we should, therefore, spend at least an extra hundred billion or so, to polish up our rusty and obsolete equipment. The U.S. Congress, on the other hand, along with most of the economic experts of the country, are pointing out that there simply is no way in which the economy of the U.S. can possibly afford to divert such a huge percentage of its total output to the manufacture of a product which can never be used for any purpose except the extermination of the human race! And so, the argument billows back and forth with both sides, as usual, completely ignoring the real question.

It is not how much we spend for military hardware, but how much we GET that matters.

Only a few wise old heads, on those rare occasions when they are allowed to speak at all, are heard to wonder, how it could have happened that, with the hundreds of billions of dollars that we have constantly been spending, and are still spending for new military hardware, it could ever have become so rusty and obsolete?!

Thus. among the multitude who are busy, arguing about how much MORE we should spend, there are a few who are wondering if perhaps we should not be getting a little more for the billions we are already spending! Those few who have investigated this side of the problem, have made some remarkable discoveries. Ordinary tools such as hammers pliers, screwdrivers etc., have been charged to Uncle Sam at prices of from 50 to 100 times their actual value. Screws, bolts, nuts etc. have been charged at similar fantastic prices. in fact the cost of the material that goes into military hardware apparently has nothing whatever to do with the cost of the finished product. Several of the largest of the military contracting companies have admitted to having made hundreds of completely fraudulent charges for alleged work that was never performed!

Our Department of Defense, seems totally unable to defend us, or even itself from the limitless greed, the unconscionable billing systems and the various fraudulent practices that are now so commonly employed that they have become almost standard procedure among the larger of the military suppliers and contractors.

If a private citizen were to employ a contractor to build a home for him, and the contractor began to charge him one hundred times the normal cost of the lumber, the nails, the concrete etc., and if he also charged for a great deal of work that had never been done, the poor citizen would find himself bankrupt before even the cellar of his home had been completed! Yet it is to these same contractors that we, the citizens of the United States, are now expected to hand over an extra hundred billion or so of our hard earned dollars in the probably futile hope that this time they might decide to give us a little something in return for it!

The truly sad part of the situation is that, if we did have contractors who were willing to give us true value for our money, we would already have the finest military hardware in the world, and more of it than we would ever need!

(signed) Daniel W. Fry

 

 

This is written on May 29 - and, to us who keep the old traditions, tomorrow - (May 30) is what was always called Decoration Day, because we went to the graves and did decorate them in loving remembrance. Now it is called Memorial Day and moved about 'date-wise' to accomodate those wanting a long week end! Either way, please, let us not forget our departed loved ones - but keep them always near, in our hearts. We will forever be indebted to those who gave their lives in battle to protect our safety. This poem says it eloquently.

I wondered just how many times, That taps had meant "Amen." When a flag had covered a coffin Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of the fathers, sons, and husbands, With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard, At the bottom of the sea, Of unmarked groves in Arlington, No, freedom is not free.

 

Tis said, "Love is - above all – the gift of ones SELF." How they must have loved us!

 

We are all born for love. All living things, plants, animals, pets, people respond to love, including us. On a recent letter to us was printed in bid letters (outside) "YOU ARE LOVED!" "Keep making sound waves! IT IS THE BEST VIBRATION ON THE PLANET!" Of course we smiled with pleasure and purred a little while. (He also enclosed dues for the next 2 years.) And another -"You deserve the best for all your unselfish service," This from a man whose opinion we've valued for many years. It gives one an added zest to go on, - "no matter what." and from a dear member in Puerto Rico, this: "Dr. Fry is the 'wise' - Cleona is the 'warm’ ". That surprised us as we'd never thought of it, but it is true. Dr. Fry IS 'the wise', and I am wise enough to be 'the warm'. Truth is, I just couldn't be otherwise! That's how I truly feel!

As you read this, it IS June - time of lovers and weddings. May God bless each union, especially those among our members - young or old. We will be married 4 years ourselves on August 22, '85

For those who overlooked the brief mention in the May Newsletter I shall repeat that we became WORLD UNDERSTANDING INC ., on March 1985. This took time, work and the assistance of our permanent att'y in Phoenix, an application, waiting, a fee to the att'y, a fee to the State of Arizona and fee for three weeks advertising as required by law. It was time it was done, and it clarifies the facts. We needed re-incorporation since we are working 'World Wide' with 'Area of Mutual Agreement'  (letters enclosed) with each one - going to every important world leader, Then, it should be called what it IS, WORLD UNDERSTANDING, INC.

The 'Area of Mutual Agreement' goes to the good men and also to those not so called. How wonderful it will be when they all begin to think the same. Some already are, and it gives us great joy to know this! It means eventual WORLD PEACE. We are not building temporarily but are putting firm foundations under, and into, the good THOUGHTS OF MEN.

Just as I was concluding my portion of this June Newsletter, the ABC 5:30 P.M. News gave us great pleasure and confirmation of the results of our work!! There before us, was King Hussein of Jordan, in Washington, D.C., telling President Reagan and the world (including us!) that he and Arafat, leader of the P.L.O., were working together to create a lasting peace with Israel!! Ah!. At long last!! (Each of them was sent a copy of 'The Area of Mutual Agreement' on Feb. 14, 1985.)

We are so happy tonight to see the seeds we planted bearing fruit!

Aren't YOU glad that you are a part of World Understanding Inc.?

(signed) Cleona Q. Fry

Nat’l Treasurer

World Understanding, Inc.

 

We HAVE SEEN YESTERDAY

We do NOT FEAR TOMORROW

We love TODAY

PEACE