The Week

■ Joan Little is loose. Count the ice-picks.

■ Sometimes, you just wonder: What’s an honest lobbyist to do? Here the maritime unions gave $16,200 in political contributions to the Chairman of the House Merchant Marine Committee, gave $433,000 to 214 of his fellow congressmen, gave $150,000 to an ex-governor from Georgia, and hired Jerry Rafshoon for the ads; and they still couldn’t get the damn Cargo Preference Bill passed. Simple bill, too—would’ve required just 9.5 per cent of all imported oil to ride in American bottoms. Of course, it would also break thirty treaties with friendly nations and hit consumers for $240 million in jacked-up oil prices; and maybe some chicken-hearts got nervous when John Murphy (D., N.Y.) began talking about raising the quota to 30 per cent some day. But isn’t that what lobbying’s for? And they beat it, 257 to 165. It’s enough to drive a man to free enterprise.

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William F. Buckley Jr.

National Review

■ Joan Little is loose. Count the ice-picks.

■ Sometimes, you just wonder: What’s an honest lobbyist to do? Here the maritime unions gave $16,200 in political contributions to the Chairman of the House Merchant Marine Committee, gave $433,000 to 214 of his fellow congressmen, gave $150,000 to an ex-governor from Georgia, and hired Jerry Rafshoon for the ads; and they still couldn’t get the damn Cargo Preference Bill passed. Simple bill, too—would’ve required just 9.5 per cent of all imported oil to ride in American bottoms. Of course, it would also break thirty treaties with friendly nations and hit consumers for $240 million in jacked-up oil prices; and maybe some chicken-hearts got nervous when John Murphy (D., N.Y.) began talking about raising the quota to 30 per cent some day. But isn’t that what lobbying’s for? And they beat it, 257 to 165. It’s enough to drive a man to free enterprise.