I am writing to answer the letter written by a gentleman who thinks the American people should step up to the plate and buy subcompact cars and travel like some of the Europeans do. If the Arabs and big oil companies continue to gouge the Americans while the government refuses to take action, we will soon be traveling with bicycles and pony carts.

This gentleman seems to feel that the government should keep its nose out of private business. I feel the same way as far as the government listening to the environmentalists and restricting the drilling of oil in our country, and this makes us dependent on the Arabs.

I have it on good authority that in Pennsylvania alone there are many oil wells already drilled that the government won't let the oil companies pump the oil from. Can it be that the government doesn't mind sky-high oil prices since the tax on fuel is determined by a percentage of the selling price? The higher the price, the higher the tax.

Is it possible that this is why the government isn't helping us with this problem? Don't they realize they are killing the geese that are laying the golden eggs? What do you other readers think about this?

John C. Smith Jr.

Adams Center