West Chester University - Serpentine Yearbook (West Chester, PA)

Page 27 text:

86 93 Energy To add to America ' s economic woes, there came news of OPEC ' s sharp rise in oil prices. With the United States still depending on OPEC for about 20% of its oil, and the temporary cut-off of oil from Iran due to its political problems, Demonstrators against Nukes. consumers could expect to see prices at the pump approach as much as a dollar per gallon by sum- mer ' s end. President Carter, in an effort to force a cutback in the amount of gasoline used by consumers, lifted price controls on oil drilled in the U.S. . Prices in the United States are well below those of the rest of the world, and Carter ' s move is ex- pected to bring a new wave of development and exploration in our country, thereby lessening our dependence on foreign oil. Nuclear Energy suffered a ser- ious setback in March when the na- tions worst commercial nuclear ac- cident occurred. On Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pa., a com- bination of human ana mechanical errors caused a serious leak of radioactive iodine, endangering the nearby communities as well as the rest of Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Governor Richard Thornourg advised all pregnant women and small children to leave the area within five miles of the reactor. For over a week a state of uncertainty and fear dominated the area. As the danger eventually sub- sided, serious questions were being asked about what actually had hap- pened, and about the future of nuclear power in America.

Page 26 text:

NATIONAL The Dollar. Down but not out. The Dollar Our year began with inflation spiraling out of control and the dollar plunging to new lows. The economy was definitely going sour and most people blamed the uncon- trolled spending of the federal government. Confidence in Amer- ica from foreign governments such as West Germany, Japan, and Bri- tian eroded to the point where they questioned the competence of American leadership to solve this nations economics woes. In this light, President Jimmy Carter announced his helt-tighting plan for the stabilizing of the dollar and Phase II of his anti-inflation program. Included in his plan were wage and price guidelines of 7 ' c , the hiking of the Federal Reserves interest rates a full I ' r, and the in- creased selling of gold by the U.S. Carter, at the feet of Washington on Wall Street. Treasury. Both proponents and critics alike feared that these steps could contribute to a recession, but the supporters contended that this would be a small price to pay if the economy were collared as a result.

Page 28 text:

A whole settlement destroyed by their own hands. Reverend lim lones Congressman Leo Ryan. Ryan ' s body returning home. JONESTOWN As 1978 came to an end, the nation ' s as well as the world ' s attention was torn from political matters to a small village in Guyana, South America. This tragedy began with a fact-finding mission led by California representative Leo Ryan. Congressman Ryan, hearing of grave irregularities in Jonestown, put together a team of cameramen, reporters, and aides to investigate the situation. The group met with Reverend Jim Jones, the self-proclaimed minister of the Peoples Temple, and father of Jonestown. On the surface, Jonestown appeared to be a peaceful settlement. However, closer inspection indicated that something in- deed was wrong in Jonestown. Their mission forced to an end by threats to their safety, Ryan and his en- tourage, as well as a small group of Jonestown defectors, prepared to board their plane at a nearby airfield. As the passengers began to board the plane, they were ambused by a truck load of Jones ' hitmen. When the shooting stop- ped and the smoke cleared, Ryan and four other people were dead, and many others were wounded. Jim Jones, con- vinced there was no other way out, had ordered the suicide of the entire settle- ment. Drinking a potion of potassium cyanide, potassium chloride, and Grape IS.00I Aid, the settlement of 900 followed his instructions. Those who would not drink were shot. When the news reached the outside world, people listened in awe as the ghastly details were revealed.