Mobil Campaign No Great Surprise

So Mobil Oil is going to spend up to a million dollars to sway Torrance voters against Proposition A, the initiative which would force Mobil to stop using hydrofluoric acid at their refinery (Times, Feb. 4).

The recent announcement brought various expressions of alarm, shock, disgust and surprise from public figures. We can sympathize with all of these emotions except the surprise. Heavens to Murgatroyd, that’s what giant corporations do!

Put yourself in Mobil’s shoes. Computer modeling, test releases of acid in the desert and data from actual accidental releases all say that a Bhopal-type disaster is possible. (A release of isocyanate gas killed more than 2,000 people in Bhopal, India, in 1984.)

Even the corporation-sensitive Air Quality Management District came to that conclusion. Fur toys, a slick propaganda throwaway and tame experts haven’t swayed the public. We suspect that that is what their latest telephone “survey” told them. What’s a poor executive to do?

One thing they won’t debate is the issue face to face with anyone knowledgeable. The writer of this letter invited Mobil Oil to debate the issue of Proposition A at the New Horizons condominium. New Horizons is a 600-unit adult community. It regularly has the highest percentage turnout in each city election. Councilman Dan Walker agreed to participate. Jim Carbonetti, speaking for Wyman Robb, plant manager at the Torrance refinery, “declined the invitation to debate.” We didn’t ask why.

Mobil is going to fight Proposition A tooth and nail. They have money, slick publicity agents, lawyers and lobbyists. We have the people, and our weapons are the facts and Proposition A.

BERNIE HOLLANDER

Torrance