The one central idea that its members should keep in view is the fact that the United States, being now a seller nation instead of a buyer – for our exports exceeded our imports in value last year more than $400,000,000 – can be hurt through general retaliatory tariffs by foreign countries much more than they can be hurt by it.

50 Years Ago, 1955

More Maine parents and teachers are taking an interest in the problems of teaching children to read but these problems didn’t “sprout whiskers overnight.” Mrs. Margaret S. Pattershall of Lewiston, State supervisor of elementary education said yesterday.

The publicity given in main to the book “Why Johnny Can’t Read” has caused many inquiries from parents and teachers, she said. Within the next few weeks the Department of Education plans to distribute a printed discussion of the book which has been described as an “angry book by an aroused parent.”

25 Years Ago, 1980

Following a year of leaping price increases and uncertain availability, gasoline news is rarely stinging the public eye any more. However, some service station managers in the Lewiston-Auburn area are losing their franchises and others are changing their types of gasoline as a tight economy and government regulations continue to exert pressure on the gasoline and oil industry.

The most recent change to be felt in the area is the phasing out of leaded premium gasoline by Exxon Corp. Following the way of other leading gasoline suppliers, Exxon will be replacing the line with high-octane unleaded gasoline.

The loss of leaded premium gasoline, which is often used by owners of high-performance vehicles and large, older-model cars and trucks, is a result of government action forcing auto manufacturers to produce vehicles that use only unleaded gasoline.