ANOTHER SCHEDULED STOP IN COLD WEATHER
KU students using the bus service between the campus and the residence halls are caught in a dilemma: ride the bus and complain about the service or walk and complain about the cold.
Greek taxes get test in court here Jan.17
A test case to determine whether fraternity and sorority houses at KU must continue to pay personal property taxes will come before the 41st District Court here Jan. 17. It is believed to be the first such case in Kansas.
The matter hinges on whether the Greek houses are ruled "producers" of income.
Kansas statute says personal property which is income-producing is taxable. Other personal property, such as household goods, was exempted from taxation by law in 1965.
About 15 KU fraternities and sororites contend they are not income-producing organizations in a suit filed in Douglas County District Court. They ask that the court declare such taxing of them illegal, and order the refund of taxes paid to Douglas County under protest since 1965 by each house.
Douglas County Assessor Darwin Rogers said he believes the Greek houses, like apartments, are income producing.
"They're like apartments, as far as I can determine," Rogers said.
"The students' fees go for upkeep of the buildings."
Rogers said taxed property in the fraternities and sororites includes personal items, and furniture such as desks and beds.
The 15 protesting Greek organizations—the number has varied slightly—have paid their personal property taxes under protest since 1965. The taxes, amounting to about $2,800 for the first half of 1967, would be refunded if Judge Frank R. Gray rules in favor of the fraternities and sorcerites.
More than $12,500 in personal taxes has been paid in the past two years.
If the KU fraternities and sororites win their case, it would probably apply to all Kansas Greek organizations in the same situation. Following the decision, each county would have to decide whether or not to charge the Greeks their personal property tax. If taxed, fraternities and sororites at other schools could then bring suit, with a Douglas County precedent, would likely win.
The $12,500 protested tax money
See taxes, page 6
Students complain
Buses over-crowded
By Janet Snyder Kansan Staff Reporter
Over-crowding is the major complaint some students offer concerning the campus bus service.
Kathy Fitzgerald, Topeka freshman, said the buses are "packed too much.
"Sometimes there are people standing in the doorway and sitting on other people's laps," she said. "People have to file out of the bus to let someone off.
Nancy Wood, Tulsa, Okla, junior, said the drivers over-crowd the buses, "in the mornings, particularly."
"The buses sometimes seem competitive," Miss Fitzgerald said. "The drivers try to get more people on their bus than the other drivers have."
Miss Wood said one morning
a driver was "trying to move people back" when the bus was already filled.
"The driver said he wouldn't move until more people moved to the back," she said. "Finally people crammed back enough and he admitted a dozen to 15 more people.
"It's not unusual to have people standing in the aisle in the afternoon going home, either," Miss Wood said.
Denise Dotson, Emporia freshman, said the buses were too crowded and she wished "they could run more buses in this weather."
Duane Ogle, manager of the Lawrence Bus Company, said extra buses are added if there are available drivers, but people prefer riding the first two or three buses that come.
Some students also complain about being late to class.
Miss Fitzgeald said, "If you take the bus that comes at 20 minutes after the hour, you might be late to class. The bus often stops and temporarily parks, but not just to pick up people."
Miss Wood said, "Sometimes a bus will sit in front of one dorm for five or 10 minutes, and sometimes no one comes out of the dorm. It's annoying."
Another complaint concerns the 15-cent fare.
Pam Flaton, St. Louis junior,
said the fare is too expensive.
"When you ride the bus six times a day, three times up to campus and three times back, it gets expensive," she said.
Ogle said the fare was raised See buses, page 6
78th Year, No.65
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY kansan
A student newspaper serving KU
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Firings avoidable?
Monday, January 8, 1968
By S. Allen Winchester Kansan Staff Reporter
Two campus ministers, fired because of conflicts between them, could have worked together—if the committee which fired them had taken positive action in 1965.
That is the opinion of student committee members in connection with the firing of the Reverends John Simmons and Maynard Strothmann. Both are ministers at the Westminster United Christian Campus Fellowship (UCCF) Center, 1294 Oread.
They were fired June 29,1967 but the dismissals were not announced until last week.
The Local UCCF Committee initiated the firing. The committee is composed of faculty members,
local community representatives, three student representatives and non-voting ministers of local Presbyterian and Disciples of Christ churches.
The ministers reportedly were fired because of conflicts resulting from undefined job responsibilities.
Ed Daub, history professor and chairman of the Local Committee, said a "fresh start" was needed for the effectiveness of the UCCF ministry.
The three UCCF student representatives are Nick Ard, Wichita senior; Don Hazen, Hutchinson junior, and Donna Moritz, Tula, Okla., junior. None of them were present at the June 29 meeting. They said they had no prior knowledge of the importance of the meeting.
A nice place to visit
Constell of prison life
By Tim Jones Kansas Staff Reporter
A baby-faced 14-year-old boy stood in front of a small audience. His curly hair hung over his collar and ears. He wore a soiled, blue, quilted ski parka.
He, fidgeted with the pedium, a microphone, his hair and his jacket, almost anything within reach of his long thin fingers. He tried to grin, nervously, as members of the audience fired questions.
"Have you ever been caught for anything, Jack?"
"Well, yeah," he answered, looking at the ceiling.
"What for, Jack?"
"Painting a car," he said.
"No," he laughed, wondering at how silly the whole thing was.
"Was it your car?"
"How did you paint the car, Jack?"
"The whole car?"
"No, just part of one side," he answered, almost giggling out loud, more from nervousness than from mirth.
A hard-looking, dark-haired balding man got up from his seat and took another microphone.
"It's not funny, Jack," Blackie says to him. "If you don't think it's serious look at the guys in this audience."
Jack takes a quick look. What he sees is a group of about 20-30 kids ranging in age from 11 to 18. Scattered through the group are grown men, prisoners at the Kansas State Penitentiary, Lansing.
The meeting at Lansing is sponsored by the Seventh Step Foundation under the direction of Joe Wallace of Kansas City.
Every Wednesday night parole officers, civic groups and judges and officers from juvenile courts bring youths who have had some scrape with the law to the prison.
They meet personally with prisoners and members of the Seventh Step Committee at the prison. These convicts, all of whom are long-termers, try by example to convince the kids that the little vandalism they do now, leads to bigger crimes which can land them in prison.
During a meeting, two or three of the cons tell their stories, emphasizing their beginning as juvenile offenders.
The meeting is always open to questions at any time.
A convict named George, convicted of mur- See Cons, page 3
"When the men first came here there should have been a definition of their job responsibilities," Ard said.
Rev. Strothmann came to KU in 1962. Rev. Simmons came in November 1364. The student committee members said if the ministers' jobs had been defined according to individual authority and responsibility, they would have been able to work together.
Hazen said the Local Committee had never clarified whether the ministers were equal or whether one was to assume directive authority over the other.
Merits not considered "There was never any real consideration of the merits of the ministers." Hazen said. He feels the local committee's handling of the situation has resulted in less
WEATHER
--student confidence in the committee.
The U.S. Weather Bureau predicts occasional light drizzle or freezing drizzle late today, tonight, and early tomorrow, accompanied by 10-20 mph south winds and temperatures in the lower and mid 30s.
Miss Moritz said there was a lack of communication between fellow committee members, the ministers, and the committee.
She said the students should assume more responsibility in the committee. But since the June 29 meeting, they have been "second-class" members.
Larry Peterson, KU graduate and former committee representative, said the Local Committee solved the problem inhumanely with respect to the ministers.
He said in the past the committee has "refused to recognize or do anything about problems brought before it."
Committee structure
Hazen said it is necessary to have an organizational body to administer money and personnel problems. "Unfortunately, the separation of the Local Committee from the church congregation is inherent in its structure," he said.
"They are well-meaning people whose removal from the situation gives them unsatisfactory criteria to base their judgments on," he said.
$100 reward still offered
A $100 reward is still being offered to any person who is able to give information leading to the recovery of a sculpture stolen from the KU Museum of Art more than a month ago.
Authorities still have found no clues or further evidence regarding the theft, said Bret A. Waller, Art Museum director.
The sculpture, insured for $4,-500, is a bronze "Portrait of Renoir," by French artist Aritide Maillol. It was apparently pried from its base Dec. 2, in the garden south of the Art Museum. Because of the theft, all outdoor garden sculpture has been removed and placed inside the museum.