Publisher's Notes
REASON editor Tibor Machan attended the First General Assembly of the World Future Society, May 12 through 15 in Washington, D.C. Professor Machan presented a paper on the differences between utopian thinking and libertarianism at an evening session dealing with "Futures from Utopias," Other speakers taking part in the discussions were Issac Asimov, Richard Allen, Kenneth Cauthen, William Gay, and Craig Lundberg. Professor Machan distributed a number of copies of REASON to the assembled futurists. Speakers and participants included Herman Kahn, Arthur C. Clarke, John McHale, Robert Theobald, Harvey Cox, Robert Ayres, Carl Madden, Theodore Gordon, and Norman Dalkey.
Several recent items should be of interest to regular REASON readers. A subscriber has brought to our attention a 12 April front page article in the WALL STREET JOURNAL entitled "Natural Gas Shortage Is Likely to Continue Despite Rising Prices." The article covered many of the same points brought out in Robert Poole, Jr.'s "Power Crisis" article in the February issue of REASON. And, also, readers who were incensed by the federal government's ill-conceived plan to force the installation of air bags in all passenger cars, as reported in Brock Yates' "Is Inflation Good for You?" in the March issue of REASON, can breathe easier. PRODUCT ENGINEERING for 29 March reported that work on air bags will be shelved. Auto manufacturers will still be forced to install protective devices, but these will now be limited to improved padding (which at least can't discharge accidentally in your face).
Want to earn extra money? REASON is looking for local distributors, including those on-campus. Buy REASON at bulk-rate prices and sell copies yourself at a profit. Alternatively, line up bookstores and sell them wholesale, at a price allowing both you and them to profit (so does the reader, we believe). Or, again, contact your local magazine wholesaler and arrange to supply him with copies to place in a variety of spots—newsstands, drugstores, bookshops, etc. If you prefer, you can buy copies from us on consignment (at a slightly lower profit, but less risk to yourself) and send back any you don't sell for a refund. In any case, you will earn money and promote libertarian ideas at the same time. Write for details.
ERRATA
The following notes were inadvertently omitted from the April/May issue of REASON.
"Deschooling Society" by John Holt was originally presented in February 1971 as a talk at Harvard University.
"The Case Against Vouchers" is available in pamphlet form from the Center for Independent Education, Wichita, Kansas 67206, under the title "Another Look at Education Vouchers." The author, George Pearson, is Director of the Center.