Remarks of the President on "Ask President Carter" Call In (Tape A)

Good day. President Carter and I are in the so-called Oval Office of the White House where in a couple of wingback chairs in front of a coffee table and in front of the fireplace across from us is the desk at which the president spends much of his day working over to our left the large doors opening out into the beautiful Rose Garden of the White House on a very nice spring like day here in Washington. This is a unique occasion in the sense that it marks a new approach to communication between the president and the people of the United States it is indeed historic unique historic and we must also say an experiment since a president has never taken part before in this sort of a broadcast. Now here's the way we want it to work we hope it works. We have received phone calls from all over the country. We expect people to ask questions on many many subjects of course. There'll be no censorship at all no prescreening in that sense. However you should know that it's not going to be easy of course to get through because there have to be a just a limited number of minds coming to us here at the White House. Now my advice

is that if you get a busy signal you do like you know when you get a busy signal any time you just hang up and try again. And when you do get through it. By your call by name and hometown. And then I'll introduce you to the president and you may talk directly with him. Please remember that we want to give just as many of your callers as possible an opportunity to ask President Carter your questions. That or I'm going to be just a little bit ruthless here and cutting off any long winded statements from our callers. We do want to hear from you the president wants your opinions and so forth but don't make a speech where you are. In other words get to your question right away ask it just as clearly and directly as possible. And just as in presidential news conferences you will have an opportunity for a follow up question if you think that it's necessary. Mr. President we're very pleased that you've accepted our CBS News invitation and are giving us this time to let the nation ask President Carter.

Thank you I'm glad to have a chance to let people have access to me. And in the process of answering 50 to 100 questions this afternoon and going on to a not knowing what's going to come next. I think people will learn something and I learn a lot about what is of interest to them now so I believe that if there are tens of thousands of folks who want to get through can do it investing to the other question that I ask they're very likely to get an answer to that question. So I'm looking forward to the two hours and whenever you're ready I am. All right Mr. President. Here and I thank the Joseph Wellman of Sterling Heights Michigan is ready out there in Sterling Heights with the first question. Mr. Bowman. I.

Don't know how to answer that question about future events. You know we had. What was on the border of a crisis last weekend. They attitude that we took was consonant to monitor what is going on in Uganda to deal directly with I mean in a very forceful way to let him know that we were expecting American lives to be protected. We also got they help. Several national leaders who are quite close to I mean the Moslem faith and a candidate trying to say to him directly we also got the Federal Republic of Germany West Germany who have diplomatic leaders in Uganda. In in Tempe Uganda to contact I mean and he was constantly giving me assurance through cables that the Americans would not be

hurt. As you know they outcome of that weekend's tension rise that he eventually said at the meeting with the Americans was called off and that anyone who wanted to leave or come into Uganda from our country would be permitted to do so. I think that it's obvious that we will do whatever we can to protect American lives throughout the world. We have in the past before I became president inform the American people in Uganda and I might say in seven other countries around the world that there was a potentially dangerous circumstance for them and if they were primarily concerned with a peaceful life they ought to change countries. We do know that most of the persons who are Americans in Uganda. Missionaries deeply committed to their own religious faith. They've got an option to leave and they've decided to stay. So I think it it at this time I feel that American lives I will be protected I think forcefully and effectively with I mean we had a lot of help from other nations

and I can't say what I will do in the future except to try to handle a situation similar to what I did last weekend. All right let's take our next caller. It's Pete Colorado. Go ahead Mr. Hood was when I brought that to our new fine print that your partner. They're 25 pretty far from the people that keep up with our pack. The few have never proposed any such thing and don't know where the story originated from I don't believe that this story was attributed to me in any way because I've never commented on that at all and have never even insinuated anyone that I was going to raise a gasoline tax by 25 cents. Just a question about it and I responded to say man to you that I don't know anything about

the proposal and have no intention of doing it. I said it on April 20. I will if plans go the way we have to make a speech to the joint session of the Congress probably in the evening. And explain for the first time. In our country a comprehensive energy policy is we don't have one at this moment and we've been working on it ever since even before I became president. So April 20th we try try to spell out an approach to the energy problem that will involve all aspects of it. Solar energy. Obviously nuclear power hydroelectric pricing mandatory efficiency conservation voluntary and so forth. And this may or may not involve any changes in the price structure but I certainly have dot considered and have no intention of any such increases you've talked about and this afternoon this is for fun I thought up a retort to the No.

You're in the right house because that's not a decision has been made in the White House as you would like you very much for that. Thank you for talking to us. Thank you very much. Thank you Mr. Maloney. The next question Mr. President is from Mark from Brooklyn New York. Mr. President what I'd like is in relationship for returning to a normal relationship with Cuba. Now in the paper the last couple of days here in New York there's been talk about the Yankees baseball team going to Cuba. Do you think that this is already in the near future. And do you think that normal relations to Cuba again in the near future. Varying degrees of relationships with Cuba. As you know we have had some discussions with them in the past. For instance on an anti hijacking agreement which expires this spring. And we now have no visitation rights of

American citizens to go to Vietnam to North Korea or to Cuba. And I want to other nations. We do have a procedure already in effect whereby a limited number of Americans can go into Cuba without using a passport because of prior agreement with the Cuban government. I would like to do what I can to ease tensions with Cuba is only 90 miles as you know from the from the Florida coast and. I don't know yet what we will do before any full normalization of relationships can take place though Cuban would have to make some fairly substantial changes in their attitude. I would like to to incest for instance said they not interfere in internal affairs of countries in this hemisphere and that they decrease our military involvement in Africa and that they enforce a commitment to human rights by releasing political prisoners that have been in jail in Cuba for 17 or 18 years things of that kind. But I

think before we can reach that point we will have to have discussions with them. And I do intend to say discussions initiated with Cuba quite early on re-establishing the hijacking agreement. Arriving at a fishing agreement between US and Cuba since our 200 mile limits do overlap between Cuba and I would not be averse in the future to see in visitation rights permitted as well. The Yankees playing an exhibition game there. I've noticed that the secretary than that if you think that the practicality. Yeah it's about accurate thinking if Mr President may I ask it seem the secretary manse indicated just the last day or so that there would be no preconditions in discussions with Cuba are you now saying that there will be no preconditions that I described would be prior to for normalization of relationships

establishment of embassies in both I coach is a complete freedom of trade between the two countries. But you couldn't possibly arrive at a solution to them to some of those questions without discussions. So we will begin discussions with Cuba if they approve the idea fairly shortly on the items that I described increase visitation of Americans to and from Cuba. They are fishing right. QUESTION It has to be those are for the protection of our own fisherman and also the anti which has been in effect in the past but is about to expire. This is ask President Carter on the CBS Radio Network. Now to call the president here in the Oval Office in Washington let us remind you of the telephone number again 980 2 4 2 1 6 1 1 900 2 4 2 1 6 1 1. Next go Mr. President this is from the Cheryl Clark of Paris Kentucky. Mr. CLARK.

Yes and the thing is right. We want a first major proposal that I made to the Congress which was worked out with the congressional leaders even before I was inaugurated was to put the American people back to work to start that process. I think this is one of the primary responsibilities that I have as president. We've asked for. A so-called stimulation package to our economy over the next two years this one in next year going to about 31 billion dollars a major portion of which is reducing people's taxes or providing direct jobs that jobs can be provided in a number of ways including the one that you describe for young people. So much of the CCC program we had during the Depression years back in the 30s. In

addition to that we have approved as far as my administration is concerned a substantial amount of money for public works projects. That is to build libraries and other facilities in communities and at the federal government have to pay for this what would be done by those who are employed by private contractors. And the same thing would apply and insulation for building recreation areas. Employment in local and state government perhaps help programs teachers aides also into training for primary young people to hold a full time job in the private sector and a total cost of this as I said is about 31 billion dollars and I think this is the best approach to it. It Humphrey-Hawkins is pretty much a philosophical kind of expression. Government's commitment to full employment. The Humphrey-Hawkins billers constantly modified has never gotten out of committee in the House or Senate. And I think some of the things that we propose a Shia substitute for

some of the provisions 100 Hawkins bill. I do feel that in closing that most of the job opportunities ought to be generated from Italy and in the private sector of our free enterprise system and not in government itself. And that would be the result of this two year effort to stimulate the economy which is very dominant now and where the unemployment rate and inflation rate is excessively high. Thank you Thank you Cher. Thank you. Nice guy Mr. President. As from next can this go around and. Yes. Now why you are living in the White House. Money. I think you know that. Well I think you might want to know that out of the personal

expenses of our family. I paid for out of my own pocket the pocket of my children. Our food is kept separate. We pay for all of it. Those and so forth are paid for out of pocket. Chip is a hardworking young man and he's a great help to me. Most of my first year in office will be spent Shraddha close to the White House and we have a special problem anywhere in the nation and I want the people to know how deeply concerned I am about it. I would like to have the opportunity to use members of my family to go and represent me personally along with professionals who serve in the government. I'll just give you one quick example involves SCHIP directly when we had a very serious problem in Buffalo because of the excessive snowfall chip to go up there to speak from. And he's a very knowledgeable young man and he also let their buffalo people know that I personally cared about them. I couldn't

take a full day off and go and spend a day in Buffalo but chip could at I think it was a good approach but I want you and American people to know that we're not American taxpayers out of our founders expenses are paid for out of Mt pocket and I'm sure we can say can you grant that. Or no sense at all. Well they are but there's a hospital is available for top officials and their family as well and they're very good. And when I was in our military I mean my sound. Yeah but we have health insurance and we pay the charges for the hospital expenses. I say in complete honesty we do that there is a physician. Who is attached to the White House and who always has been and he follows me when I go somewhere in case I get hurt have a

heart attack or something. And his service is available to the members of my family as well and I do it that way. That's great now he's not an obstetrician and buddy but he is available in case any of my family members or even guest in the White House get ill during the night. He's available to take care of them and that's done at public expense. Sure. This is Lester Thomas Pennsylvania Mr. President Mr. Thomas thank you. Thank you as a mother American and United States Army. I hope you go into history and a democratic nation. I mean and I going to. My question as an act that will remove you.

When and why deflation. I'm a Brit. There are no people I mean by that. Well Thomas I think you may have noticed during the campaign that I made an issue of this constantly and in my acceptance speech at the Democratic convention said it I thought the income tax system of this country was a disgrace. Well I haven't changed my opinion about that. And I have initiated a comprehensive analysis of the income tax structure and before the end of September we will propose to the American people an accommodation on how to publicize to a basic reforms an income tax structure in this stimulation package that I mentioned earlier this afternoon. We have one provision in it that helps people like yourselves it increases a personal exemption for a family up to $3000. And this is a permanent change and also greater simplifies

the income tax forms which as you know is for one hundred seventy six fish a gallon a year that you're going at now very complicated. Now the average for a family for instance that makes $10000 a year. Tax reduction or refund will amount to about 30 percent of the taxes paid and a permanent reduction that will be in effect from now on will amount to about 20 percent tax reduction for that $10000 year family. We anticipate in September eliminating a great number of the loopholes that do benefit the rich and powerful and many of those savings that are derived from that will be passed along to the low and middle income families like perhaps yourself. Frankly I meant I think I average registered Republican. I'm behind you 100 percent. Triggered a lot of attack here. Thank you man. Really appreciate it. Thank you Mr. President what about it was a Thomas's question about the Congress being unloaded and the upper middle classes and upper classes and not enough

representation from the lower classes do you think that's true. Well I think once a congressman gets in office now with a better substantial salary they are missing that upper class and so is a president by the way I guess I was a an anchorman for which he has but I think that to the extent. That government officials like myself. And the members of Congress make an extra effort to stay in touch with people to let folks like Mrs. Thomas ask us questions and scrutinize who pays the bills for my family within the White House and so forth that's a good way to get restore confidence in us. Also I believe that the campaigns which come every two years for the members of Congress keep them in touch with four working people. I know my own campaign for the last two years joined by my wife and all my sons and their wives. My mother cried often and my sister and I and we learned a lot about people you know the thought of the country outside of joy to do in a two year period so the campaign process this part

of our constitutional system I believe is a good guarantee that to a substantial degree. Public officials stay in touch with folks back home. Now the problem is water in a case like income tax is going to appear to be as the laws change and the ones who demand it changes. Now those who are powerful and who are influential and who are going to have. Lobbyist who can pay for their own private lawyer and who can form a cohesive approach to Congress and put tremendous pressure on the Congress to meet of a prominent or transient temporary need once a need is passed that special privilege in the last days there the average American family 10000 15000 sometimes $20000 a year have no organization they don't have a lobbyist and the only way for them to understand what goes on in a very complicated income tax mode is for somebody like the president to take the initiative and present to the American people in a comprehensive way all at once. These are the things that are unfair. These are the things that can be changed

to make it fair. So the American people can be marshaled to exert influence and interest in the tax laws. A person who has a special privilege they focus their attention and their influence on that one tiny part of the law. And the average American has no idea what's going on. But if I can get the whole American taxpaying body. To at the end of September to join with me and demand from the Congress that we make the law a simple and fair. Then in that instance I think we can overcome this deterioration which in my opinion has taken place ever since 1913 or whenever it was that income tax laws went into effect. And that's why I'm so interested in having the American people not only believe that I'm writing for them but I can understand what's going on as a reason for this radio broadcast. Mr. President. I would like any African American people to be

in this period as a wife. My question really many what they can and the U.S. I think that I've been in the fabric of the widely acclaimed increase. I've got two quick suggestions. One is to put a farmer in the White House as president another one is to put a natural diet in the Department of Agriculture as a secretary and we've already done those two things. Also I think the next step is to let the American public know the truth about agriculture and the farm and ranch families of our nation. I think that the interest of consumers and the interest of the average farm family exactly the same.

I have studied the Wisconsin dairy farm ministry quite at length myself during the Wisconsin primary last year the average Wisconsin dairy family only makes about $7000 a year. And that's what all the members of the family working on the farm. Maybe three for a more adult investment. An average investment in a restaurant and dairy farm of about one hundred eighty thousand dollars. So if they are farm was sold. And then money was put in a savings account account at 5 percent interest. There were Wisconsin dairy family would have an income of $9000 a year just from interest which is $2000 more than they get from working full time a day if I am correct. And if they are American consumers who drink milk and cheese and other dairy products know for a fact. That the farmers are not making excessive profits or they work very hard seven days a week and that the return on their investment is extremely low like 3 or 4 percent.

I think they would appreciate what the farmers do and I think a stable farm economy where the prices are at least equal to the production cost would guarantee that you don't have the raw fluctuations up and down in milk and wheat and cotton and poultry and pork. Because when the prices fluctuate wildly because a market is uncontrolled. When they go up. They consumers pay the high price. The farmers are already sold at a price to a little Million and when the prices go down for the good for the farmer for the consumer they stay up. So what we're trying to do is to have a stable farm economy with predictable production as well as if they want to let us through with prices that don't fluctuate Riley and with the truth be told to the consumers that what's best for them is almost always exactly what's best for the average farm or ranch family so I think we're making some progress in that. Now my clothes my aunt about saying that in 1977 this year

there will be a comprehensive Farmdale either passed or extended from the past past number of years and so I will be addressing it on a full time basis and by Britain. And there's a direct from from the northern part of Minnesota and out of sector agriculture and it will have a much better way to understand both farmers and consumers than has been done in the past. I thank you for your time and thank you thank you on the phone measure Rita Rogers of Joliet Illinois. Mrs. Miller's garage just coming at least that impact In fact I would like if you want to send three more facts. They think they found in fact that one of the only country in the world and I already said they will. I feel it very unfair that they get everything that they can I just I can't answer that question. I don't know trying to avoid your question and I don't know the answer. I think that's one of the things that we

will be considering along with hundreds and hundreds of others in a comprehensive tax reform started it will be going on this year. So I'm reluctant now to sing that one particular part of the tax code and say it will not be changed even though it might very well stay the same question I think. I'm sorry. Thank you. Next question. Ronald Bush I believe it is under Georgia Mr. President Mr. Powers that have limited that I came to sign a bill the last time I was on Air Force place I work. They are going to be questioned. Yeah that's the faders and the part that down to earth do you do anything for the better still serve the country. And I thought I'm not going to send you a question from joy give an outright answer right and I don't intend

to prod any more people from the Vietnam era. I promise the American people when I was running for office that I would pardon the ones who violated the selective service laws I don't have the apology to make about it and think I made the right decision. But the designers and others who committed crimes against military law or civilian law will not be pardoned. The only reason any sort of blanket basis my preference is to that the Defense Department handle those cases by categories or by individual cases. We have moved I think already to help as you said. Loyal and patriotic veterans like yourself and I've appointed a very fine young man to head up the Veterans Administration and Max Cleland who's a veteran of the Vietnam War. This is kind of a new generation of leadership and within the economic package that I presented to Congress we have a heavy emphasis on training and job opportunities for veterans. So I hope in the future that we can have a restoration of appreciation for veterans

who did go to the to the Vietnam War who have not been thanked or appreciated enough in the past and I'm much more. Sensitive. Veterans Administration toward the Vietnam veterans who have not had as many benefits as veterans of previous wars are more popular but I don't have an apology to make up for what I have done but you need not be concerned about an extension of pardons on a blanket basis in the future for me. I really thank you Mr. President there seems to be increasing talk of a bonus for Vietnam veterans is that you're thinking of national and Mexico from Mrs. Richard Nicholson of Fort Worth Texas Mr. President Mr. Nicholson. I hate the fact that we you. Say when you put a different date before forming a theme that you think that then think and think up

a lighter. And let them deal with that and stare at it. OK well I think you probably have noticed that the final decision is with the state legislatures and I have made a few telephone calls since I've been in office and have taught her some personally and to some governors about the pressure to be our way. I haven't tried it in a fair put pressure on him. When I ran for president I made it clear that I was in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment passing. And still I'm in favor of it and hope it does pass. But I respect very well and very consistently the right of individual state legislators to vote the way they choose but I think it's good to point out to the legislators individually and to the people of the country as I am doing at this moment that we do need to give women equal rights. They've been cheated too long. They don't have equal pay for equal jobs. And I think that this Equal Rights Amendment which is very simple and very clear will be a good

thing for our country. So I don't have any way to to make a legislative vote against his or her wishes don't want any influence on them but reserve the right to express my opinion just like you have a right to express yours have. Michael thank you that I don't have any power in this new FEMA never mentioned anything about women within the law that it happened that you know I have in this area. I think they are right I'm in addition to says that Congress state and not permitted to discriminate against women. And I and I would presume that you would agree with that statement but apparently you don't have it. Thank you very much. Thank you ma'am. Thank you so much. Do move on we want to get as many questioners in as possible today. Mike McGrath in Warsaw

Indiana has won the lottery to get him on the panel here. Mr. McGrath go ahead with your question to President Carter. Yes sir the president sir are you there. Yes sir go ahead Mike. OK. Stationery served in the Vietnam war there. There are the private constellation there. There and then there yes. But at any rate I. Think that there are three basic the first to our answer. I think it will be more than $50 for some people depending on what your income is are the ones that make about 25 to 30 thousand dollars a year don't get any rebate according to the latest action of the Congress and that means that a little bit more would be available to those at the lower levels. In addition to that there's a special provision for allocation of funds to veterans like

yourself and in addition we have a tax reduction is permanent by giving our. Personal exemption of $3000 for a couple I think and I destroyed is twenty four hundred dollars for a single person so you're getting about an equivalent of a 30 percent reduction in income taxes for one hundred seventy six. If you're up to $10000 or so level it might be. Lauren if you know you can like you see now you might get a little but it won't be much taller than fifty thousand dollars and the tax rebate unless you are well above the $25000 level. And in addition as I said you'll get a permanent reduction in you income taxes. Not about personally exemption that are still on the books even after the stimulation fact is gone. OK good deal for us and I think the thing that made me at the factory.

WORK AT THAT PEOPLE. That made it there. Yeah. Then they needed to send theirs or anything to get it off. Mike I don't know about the latest version of that but if you're listening on the radio program for the next 10 or 15 minutes I get to amplify and give it to you. OK OK. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you Mary. I might note that the president has a plan for just that of A doesn't have the answer here he's got a couple of aides to anybody's shaping them. It is Saturday afternoon a lot of government offices are closed. Best to get them to say Roger if I can financer before we got they an outcome I personally find if I can let's remind listeners out there the toll free number to reach the president here at the White House is 900 to 4 2 1 6 1

1 900 2 4 2 1 6 1 1. And I Mr. President we have a young man 13 years old I'm torn in Ridgecrest California Jon Harrop who has a question for him. John go ahead. Sure and I think in California what's your question. Having an up and coming. No we're not shipping South invites. I think somebody made a study of that John and found that it would be too expensive to try to ship snow to the rest. We are very concerned about your drought and I know that you are not sure how far north Ridgecrest years but I know that there's an appeal by your governor not to waste water and I believe that in the future along with energy conservation we're going to have to start worrying about what a conservation. We've had

too much stone age most of it's melted already so we don't have any snow to ship even if it wasn't very expensive. That's a good thought though and it was investigated quite thoroughly. I think a couple recent Buffalo Fraser's had accumulated about four or five feet of snow. Good luck to you John and thanks for calling. Thank you. And I scars from Mrs. Helen Keller of Vineland New Jersey. Think about it. Do you think of extending benefits. And security and safety

consideration in a process of structure health education welfare so that we can put financing which will help a great deal to cut down on the cost for people like yourself. Also we are freezing the amount of money that that you have to pay for. Medicare is coming out of the price of health care has gone up about 15 percent a year the last few years we're trying to prevent your monthly payments from going up for this coming year. Additionally we have introduced into the Congress. A bill that would hold down hospital costs and try to prevent health care costs from going out faster than other parts of our economy. There's been a great deal of

maladministration upward ministration of the health costs. I hope that over a period of years it is not going to come easily that we can have a comprehensive health care plan and I can be very expensive. But the first step has got to be to bring some order out of chaos in the administration of health problems. We've already got into help for a people like the happiest and I don't know what your income is be able to prevent the rapidly increasing cost of programs like Medicare so we are at least freezing the Medicare cost if the Congress goes along with our proposal and other creative years will try to expand the coverage of health care services for our citizens like you and Hank and Michael thank you my next caller is Mr. Felos should do pair of the relevant Massachusetts Mr. Perry the president's on the law. I don't have a connection. I mean Frederick or whatever and I come from that. If you have the opportunity to live

your life and you're talking about a space mission was to get appropriate. I'm fat or too old to do that I. Don't have back and start now and train and get ready to go. I was a young person it was always the most advanced and sometimes dangerous things. She had the idea of having atomic power to propel submarines. I was one of the first ones to volunteer and was one of the very earliest submarine officers to go into the program and I am thinking about going without a wreck of a time he said Marines turned to ride on matters of oppression is part of my duty to learn about things. But I can tell you that I am ready to go on a space shuttle I think. I just don't have time to get ready for it. And I say that I should do it but not me.

I think from how she would yes she's a very innovative young lady and always trying for new things and I think she's competent to be a pilot in a space shuttle in the future to be a member of Congress I'm going to be president yes ma'am thank you. You know Mr. President with that shirtsleeve environment so-called of the shuttle era holding out little hope that some of us will may get a chance to go along. I'm interested in that program by the way I think that's going to be a much cheaper means by which we can perform our very valuable flights in space and to return the costly vehicle back to Earth and it's going to mean a utilization of space really getting past the exploration stage of that and we're using it now I think you see fighting now with a space satellite photography. We not only guaranteed IT security I can do a great deal of analysis on crop conditions topographical

mapping to see how far it is from between certain places have a planning and this is a good way to get out away from you know flying airplanes or space to analyze waste energy to see where we are not insulating and adequately and so forth so for Alors reasons even things that are very common like growing crops are manning a building highway. OK now I know when he says we are using space photos perhaps this next telephone call is from Susan Allen of Cheyenne Wyoming Mr. President. Yes agent. Yeah and you know I couldn't wait and you have a point. Well as I do and I feel the same way when I was governor. I felt the same way

when I was a candidate and I felt the same way on occasion when I was a farmer when I was in the submarine program. I might say that that I've enjoyed this for six weeks. I mean President I have a very good staff to help me and. The working conditions are good. My house is close to my office and I've got a good cabinet and so far the American people have been very supportive I think most people in the country want me to do a good job. And it helps me a lot. I do have a place to get away. We have been down to Georgia one occasion since I've been in the White House and my wife and I were able to go out in the woods and in the fields. I like to run air hands and I she and I walked for hours in the open fields looking for hands just as a hobby. And we have a chance to here to hold hands and talk to each other about things alone. And we've been to Camp David once it's a beautiful place in the Catoctin

Mountains about an hour and a half away from here about a mile beyond the camp that President Roosevelt used when he was president. And it's available to the two presidents and some of the cabinet members as well. We've been there for one occasion so we have a chance to get away and I might add in closing that the White House living quarters on the second floor where I'm a family man is quite private. And we've enjoyed living man very much. Yes I am. I think this is an area where we need to expand our research and development programs and I think that in years to come you're going to see in my administration. And from presidents who come after me a very heavy emphasis on the use of solar power. Do you how does it work for. Them.

Oh very good. Thank you very much for calling somebody running the word of the right has more or less burdensome than you expected. Well it's about the same as I expected what I have. I've enjoyed it so much or so for such an exciting job I spent about half the time the president about half term in a student. I put in an enormous amount of time and it's a pleasure and I'm not complaining. Learning about security matters and defense matters and starting to Congress and how it operates. I got a big cloak and next to my chair and when I get a dispatch from a foreign country I want to have a vest on from a frightened foreign country like a bomb in a particular region of Africa Mexico Canada. Mr Beans can I mean from Israel on Monday night our leaders are coming in from the Middle East. Mr. from Canada from Japan the prime minister of Great Britain is coming so nasty about those countries and get ready for their

visit. It takes a lot of time but I would say that the number of hours that I put in and a difficulty there job is about the same as it was when I was governor of Georgia. But in addition it's more interesting because you have the foreign affairs questions to address your next governor Mr. President as Bob Michel of Philadelphia. Mr. Mitchell get them out of there and they are going to say I didn't get much done. Today I like to think just before Election Day Mr. Mondale place to keep the Frankfurt open your non-point many people hearing an important part of I think. I can get the body I mean it. I'm closing down an institution which is both a national necessity and I think it is. Area which is already overburdened by the economic depression that I might say

that if there's one question that the vice president has talked to me more about than any other thing since I've been in the White House has been the Frankford Arsenal and he and I have a deep personal interest in defining for arsenal under the previous administration the decision had already been made find a closed door. Frank Frank and I we are reassessing the possibility of keeping it open at least in some form. If it is a final decision by the Defense Department and they say that their their arsenal be closed I'll do everything I can to honor their vice president's commitment to try to orient some other kind of federal project into the Frankford Arsenal area so that the people will not suffer any more than necessary economically but we're doing the best we can over Nan closing down had gone so far when I became a president almost impossible to reverse it but we have a revenue problem. And I would just have to do what I think is best for the country

at the same time try to honor the promise that the vice president made to do the best he can to keep it open. OK well thank you. Thank you Mrs. Thomas Rogers of Albuquerque New Mexico is on the phone Mr. President. Mr. Rogers can actually image I just think you're going to have to pay for taking an abberation if you can. OK for criminals every friend got story when writing fanfic. I want you to wait to find that you term an Iraqi medical. Maybe we can take back what you thought. I think that's a good idea. I was talking yesterday just coincidentally just today out of Peter Bourne who is now the head of my entire drug control. And he will be working with foreign countries including your neighbor Mexico and with the Congress and others to try to

hold the abuse of drugs. And as you know this applies not only to illegal. Drugs like heroin and cocaine and marijuana and others but it also applies to some of the medications achieve discriminant barbiturates for instance there is a developing question about whether they are necessary at all. And Dr. Bohn pointed out to me that the number one drug that causes death is Helen and the second is barbiturates which is a medication that you use quite frequently by medical doctors so the two are mixed in people's minds and I think that medication as you suggested is a better word I'm not sure if you could name. It dispenses that the medication stores they might object to that maybe there's a better word maybe a pharmacy would be best but I don't have any

authority over what they name it but that's a good idea to separate the two the illegal the illegal drugs from the illegal medications would be a good distinction. I think the only adequate hands we are concerned the former energy program here at the State of the car here and we're hoping it will go too for I don't know what the decision will be. I don't intend to get involved in the decision personally I would like to see the research and development programs for solar energy to be decided on a night basis and Freddy installations are the best I would say though that New Mexico has a headstart on many places around the country because of the long history of research and development and because of your climate but I think we will have several places around the country where we will be doing an increasing amount of research and development on solar energy in the future. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much except I just got an answer about a way that I'd like to give out a vacuum to Mike McGrath from Marseille Indiana regarding the G.I. Bill. President Ford had recommended terminating benefits on of the G.I. Bill for our present unit military service after January the 1st 1977. He wanted to cut a period of eligibility for veterans who entered military service before his term from teeniest eight years. During a campaign. I came out against these actions and supported stripping below and to hold to the ten year period of eligibility in a budget that I just put into the Congress. I added the extra two years of benefits so that a 10 year period will remain for Vietnam veterans for the G.I. bill also the answer I think is a good one for my and I hope that he's going to remain to listen to it. I will remind you that to reach the president here in the Oval Office of the White House the number to call is 900 to 4

2 1 6 1 1. In some areas there is an access code to for a long distance if there is why you use it when you dial 900 to 4 2 1 6 1 1 and having successfully done that. Mrs. Opal do you part of Trinity North Carolina is on the phone Mr. President. Connection I think I am thankful and it's nice to see. OK the guy's been reading a battle fought not

yet and if they have a recovery. People just might let someone from the Department of AGW give you a call and talk to you about it and you can ask me a question but I've heard about the controversy I know that some of the neighboring countries I think Mexico you can be treated with it. Let me have someone call you mine if you don't mind it wouldn't help much if I called you because I don't know. I'm not a medical

doctor I'm not familiar with it. OK. Thank you. And I know if it were a lank you must know the photos you're going to have you go on that it is a matter that concerns a lot of people in the United States in about I'd say that one of the things that they concern a medical profession in permitting the use of a drug it might not be harmful to one is it sometimes causes people not to seek treatment because you're depending on a watch list. I'm not trying to make a judgment on this one but I know that's a concern to us. Mr. Orr be very sure of my mind. Alabama on the phone with Mr. Parrish after a good look at them and

I was wondering. I think the position I took during the campaign Mr. Price is the same and I have now. I think as a general proposition vertical integration of major industries is nothing if not contrary to the best interests of the American people provided you have continued. And adequate competition. I am concerned on tuning into the vertical integration process one hears that. And ensure competition for leasing rights. I think it would be a mistake for us so to require a different company to drill for oil to extract the oil from the ground to plant. Refinery to do the refining and then to distribute it into a wholesaler then the retailer the different companies had to do Arlo's processing I think that the price of the final product like gasoline would be greatly increased because of

inefficiency. I think at the wholesale and retail level have been Cajuns that I witnessed. There has been an inadequate amount of competition and sometimes a small and independent service station operators have been forced to shift toward the majors and this particularly did occur in the initial stages of a 173 inveigled period I have a concern also about horizontal investments when the major oil companies acquire a period of time a controlling interest in say coal mining operations. That means quite often that that is not a heavy enough emphasis placed on increasing call production. So at the wholesale and retail level I have some concern and in a high rise on investment balconies like coal or uranium I have some concern. Unless I'm convinced that there's adequate competition now I would be in favor of considering divestiture. But my first preference would be to ensure competition through anti-trust laws and

disclosure of profits. At the individual level is out the vertical integration rather than divestiture itself. Yes thank you very much. Thank you Mr. Banks. And the next caller is Mr. Dale but called it through Illinois. Mr. MacCORMACK. Yes good afternoon. Yes I have a question here. That relates with this free situation. My question is. Can we expect more important. Commodity. I'm actually laughing. And if can we go about that. Is your coverage the back of it right. But I don't know how to answer your question about the future as you know. Brazilians and out of coffee producing countries claim that they dry out and they. Or afraid I think it was destroyed a number of the coffee trees.

And that's the reason for the high prices I think that there are adequate reserves on hand now but that future crops of coffee are likely to be very short and the prospect of shortages if forced at a price I don't know how to deal with this. There's no way for us to control the price of company comes in from Colombia or Brazil or Costa Rica to our country to our own nation. I think that we have one opportunity as consumers and that is to drink less coffee. As the price goes up it is almost inevitable in a free enterprise system. I'm here for two hours without moving and just coincidentally I'm drinking hot tea now instead of coffee. I don't want to put an embargo on coffee use but I don't know how to answer your question you better know I don't know what the future holds. I don't think that we can do anything to control the price of coffee except to reduce consumption. Yesterday I was going through what I went through our continue to expect you're going to find.

Thank you very much to you and I think I'm going to pause now briefly in the CBS News special broadcast asked President Carter to give our station's five seconds to identify themselves. This is the CBS Radio Network.