Fact and Comment.

The article presents the author's opinion on political and economic topics as of October 1, 1979. The author focuses on a conclusion made by the U.S. Joint Economic Committee of Congress concerning the recession in the U.S. Attention is paid to the acquisition of U.S. industrial automation solutions provider Reliance Electric Co. by U.S. petroleum company Exxon and the decision of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Exxon not to distribute Reliance's energy-saving device.