Carbondale, Illinois, is beautiful around this time of year; so are a lot of other places with lakes, rivers, and streams. Did you ever stop to think how beautiful even Des Plaines could be if our river were clean? No, really, think about it; our city has beautiful forests and parks, but a clean body of water intensifies nature's beauty 100 times over.

Illinois passed a pollution bill last week; but just how much of this money will be spent on our river? Taking in account the whole state of Illinois and its pollution problem, not much can be spared on just our river. Last October 18, 50 students from Maine West spent the day cleaning what they could in our river. These students are to be commended; but the Westerner joins with Student Council in wishing they hadn't.

As Amy Robertson '71 stated in her letter to the editor of the Des Plaines Suburban Times last November 3:

"I was sorry that only 50 kids cared to become maids for a Sunday‑now I'm glad. I wish I hadn't gone. I wish no one had gone. Because now we're going to get a headline that praises us for caring, for not being delinquents. Now people will think that someone will keep on cleaning up their filth year after year."

It's a wonderful and beautiful thing that some people care, but everyone is tired of hearing people preach at them. It may surprise you to find out that this time, this editorial is not to tell everyone what they already know. (But in case you don't, our river is filthy and stop contributing to it. Okay, so we said it.)

It's about time the government took a hand, particularly the City Council. They have the power to pass laws, to stop pollution of our river, and they can enforce these laws too. Instead of worrying about such and such a tree that has to be cut down and other such matter that can be handled without taking up so much time, why don't they do something with a little more importance. Perhaps a committee could be set up to study the problem and find the answer. They seem to have a committee for everything else, why not pollution?

It's our fault, and it's our responsibility to stop littering. But that won't clean up the mess that is already there. The Westerner puts forth a plea to the City Council to do not something but everything they can about the present situation of our river. And, we put out a plea to everyone reading this to write to the Council and ask them to use their power. It's time, City Council, to act!