Propagandists, patriots enliven America's history
By CALDER M. PICKETT
CALDER M. PICKET
Professor of Journalism
Today's bicolentime minute - or perhaps slightly more than that, if you read past the first few paragraphs - is about the men in charge of the house and the cases the women too. Our minute will take us to the 1770s, when war was being made, in great part by the propagandists, the newspaper editors and printers, the pamphlets, the newspapers.
It will help to begin with a recent reference, and it comes from the historian Eric Goldman, who studied some patriots and some patriotic towns of the past. It is also useful to remind Br beaver lay moored at dockside, laden with tea chests, and once again a clamorous crowd justified its way down to Boston Harbor. This time mocking the British, they used the same proclamation. Proclaiming a "Boston Tea Party," demonstrators on the water and land denounced the high cost of gasoline and heating oil, chanting 'Freeze prices, not people!' and hurling simplicitly empty oil canisters.
"With bullhorns in a nearby warehouse, they called for the impeachment of President Nixon and raided against the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. Home-made banners
supported group strikers and Greek students,
assailed tax loopholes and U.S. foreign policy.
Round and round went the protest posters, in-
terviewed by said to say—SAM ADAMS—THINK
LIKE HIM."
SAM ADAMS was one of three Eric Goldman examined, the others being Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine. They were the men who made the rules of war in America and poetry and oratory and ballads, men in a direct line from the many who used presses out of the Gutenberg tradition: Benjamin Harris, John Campbell (scarcely a rabble-rouser), James Doyle (of course, of course, John Peter Zenger and his group).
Boston was the headquarters of propagandist activity, the focus being in a group calling itself the *Humpty Dumpty* movement, not heroic in appearance, 'something of a humpty-dumpty ... essentially the behind-the-scenes type,' says Goldman. He was plain and cheerful of his past, so he would have been since his forties, with shaking voice and hands.
Adams had let the family fortune slip away, and he owed 18,000 pounds in back taxes to the town of Boston. As early as his Harvard days he had written a thesis in which he asked whether there was any
good reason why one should owe loyalty to any ruler. He had a jugular, anything-goes hunger for power, says Goldman, but he was not what we call today a charisma figure.
HE AND his group conspired and stirred up the angry crowds that met at the Liberty Tree in Boston when Parliament passed the Stamp Act, and at other gatherings where there were free food, drink, fireworks and rousing speeches, plus much singing and hangings in effigy.
One of their favorite songs was "The Liberty
"Armed with hammers, axe and chisels...they approached with dreadful speed."
Song," written in July 1778 by a lawyer named John Dickinson, best known for his "Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer," in which he argued for a middle position rather than either separation from the crown or continued support. A fellow on the other side composed a parody for the Boston farmers of that period, who pumped, pumps and bawl,/And own you gone mad at fair liberty's call;/No scandalous conduct can add
to your shame/Condemned to dishonor, inherit the fame./ In folly you're born and in folly you'll live/to madness still ready, stupidity steady /Not men, but as monkeys, the tokens you give."
In the time of Dickinson the Sons of Liberty were functioning in Boston, holding their pep rallies and helping to keep things so stirred up by 1770 the town was shook by the episode we call the Boston Massacre, which brought one of the major pieces of revolutionary propaganda: an engraving made by a man named Paul Revere. The propagandists kept the fire alive, stirring up that famous tea party of Samuel Adams, who collaborated on their paint—possibly in the building housing the newspaper called the Boston Gazette—and dumped the茶 into the harbor. A ballad celebrated the incident:
"As near beautiful Boston lying/On the gently swelling blood./Without jok or pendant flying/Three ill-fated ship tea ships./Just as glorious Soli was setting. On the wharf a numerous crew/Sons of freedom, fear forgetting/Sudden appeared in view./Armed with hammers, axe and spear. On the beach a helmet on the herbage-breasted vessels. They approached with dreadful speed./Quick as thought the ships
were boarded./Hatches burst and chests displayed;Axes, hammers help afforded;/What a glorious crush they made/Squash into the deep descended/Cursed wee of China's Coast./Thus at once our fears were ended./British rights shall be lost/Captains! Once more hoist your sail/well the sail/yet plough the wave/Tell your you sail/the weavereamers./When they thought to cheave the brave.
"ON THE eighteenth of April, 75, hardy a man is now alive, who remembers that famous day and night," he wrote in his memoirs. "Reveres rides on the 10th of April, two battles; 'By the rude bridge that arched the flood, their flag to April's breeze unfurled, one entombed face-faced another.' Another poem of a later time, by Emerson.
It was Isaiah Thomas of the Massachusetts Spy who celebrated the battle of Lexington in a story published May 3: "Americans! forever bear in mind the battle of Lexington—where British troops, unmoosted and unprovoked, wanted and, in the name of our countrymen . . ."
See PROPAGANDISTS page 10
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas
Vol.86 No.156
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Lawrence's glorious Fourth of July
See page 2
BY BECCI BREINING
Associate Campus Editor
The power of judges to censor news media reporting of criminal cases was restricted yesterday in a Supreme Court decision that raised by journalists across the nation.
By unanimous vote, the court struck down a gag rule issued by a Nebraska judge last week, citing a case involving Erwin Charles Simons, a 29-year-old unemployed fire repairman, Lincoln County District Judge Hugh Stuart Moore. The judge said publicity until a jury could be selected.
Simians was convicted in January of murdering six members of a Sutherland island community.
Del Brinkman, dean of the School of Journalism, said yesterday that the decision was a victory for freedom of the press.
Brinkman teaches communications law to journalism and law students.
The decision will quiet a lot of fears on the part of the press, he said.
"IT IS a proper decision because it's consistent with the idea that there shouldn't be restraint on coverage of things in the public domain," he said.
CHIEF JUSTICE Warren E. Burger said the court had not ruled out the possibility that an order prohibiting press coverage of a public figure should protect an accused person's right to a fair trial.
"Journalists don't want some judge telling them what they can and can't use. I would have been disappointed if the court bad ruled otherwise."
"It left the door open for other cases by not declaring restraining orders unconstitutional," Brinkman said. "But I don't think a case asking that prior restraints be unconstitutional will come to court soon."
Yankee Doodle Kansan
The more observant among you have probably noticed that we are thunderning down the home stretch toward our nation's 200th birthday. Certainly the Kansan has not forgotten. Accordingly, you may notice that a Bicentennial Issue by some, the Bicentennial Issue by a miserable few—contains numerous celebrations in fact and fancy of this occasion of occasions. Whether you view the Bicentennial Fourth of July as a holiday of unequalled excitement or as a tired old gal that shouldn't be disturbed by new events, your unaware you find much of interest in this, our Bicentennial Kansan.
There will be no Kansas Monday, but Tuesday the paper will reappear on schedule.
Justices William J. Brennan Jr., Potter Stewart and Thurgood Marshall said they believed prior restraint on freedom of the press was unconstitutional.
"The decision to publish is for editors, not judges," Brennan said.
ALAN PETERSON, lawyer for Media of Nebraska, the organization that brought the gag order challenge to the Supreme Court, said he was delighted with the decision.
"It's a super opinion and surprisingly strong, but it leaves the door open for the possibility of closed courts—that is, trials conducted in secrecy." Peterson said.
Peterson said he believed that if a case came to court asking that gag rules be declared unconstitutional, the Supreme Court would do so.
"We think we have five of the nine judges on our side," he said. "Three judges said gag orders are unconstitutional and two others, Byron White and John Paul Stevens, said they tended to agree but wouldn't put themselves on the line until they had to."
RICHARD PAXSON, reporter for the Lincoln Journal, said that journalists throughout Nebraska were happy about the decision.
"We're happy but surprised because many of us predicted a loss," he said.
Paxson said that the decision should be a sobering reminder to reporters because it re-emphasized responsibility of the press for what it prints.
"Once the euphoria wears off, it may not be the panacea that it seems to be," he said. "Only three of the nine judges said that gag rules should be completely prohibited."
ANOTHER LAWYER for Media of Nebraska, E, Barrett Prettyman, said there was "no doubt at all" that the decision was to allow the ability of judges to issue款 orders.
"At least five of the justicees go further than the Chief Justice and indicate that in no way are these orders going to pass muster," Prettyman said.
Firemen, police meet to effect compromise
By DAYNA HEIDRICK
City police will meet with City Manager Buford Watson this morning to discuss pay scales, hours and benefits, and city firefighters will vote tonight on whether to accept a comprehensive employment proposal offered yesterday by Watson.
"I've already made compromises that I am philosophically opposed to," Watson said. "I haven't given away City Hall, but it's all one way."
Both the Lawrence Police Officers Association and International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1596, told the city commission Tuesday night that they were considering a work slowdown unless the commissioners placed the city under the police mandate to enforce Relations Act and began to negotiate with employees.
Police Officer Assn, Chairman David Reavis said yesterday that police had compromised on many issues and that the only point they would consider changing was their request for expanded medical and hospitalization insurance.
The city currently pays for policemen's insurance. In addition, the police propose that police officers be trained in families of officers. However, they will give this up if the city is willing to provide more funds.
Watson said yesterday that the city had already given the policemen a plan of action to disarm the gunmen.
Meanwhile, city firefighters yesterday received a response from Watson to proposals they had submitted June 1st concerning conditions of employment.
Watson offered the firefighters a package compromise plan including a 6 per cent cost of living increase for the 1977 budget. He also offered for the city to pay the difference between the Workman's Compensation benefits, the Firemen's Relief fund benefits and full salary after the 7th calendar day through the 82nd for specified firemen injuries.
Bill Brutubaker, secretary of the Fire Fighters Association, said it was too early to know whether members would accept Watson's proposal.
He said he would recommend the total package to the city commission but not the local government.
One of the firemen's major complaints about the negotiations was that they hadn't received any written answers to their requests in Samuels, Samuels, Firs, Eckhers President, said.
Sarmueli said Watson told the association in their first meeting June 14 that he would fire fifteen a letter outlining the city's plans for the future, broken of, before his next meeting, June 30.
As part of their work slowdown, the police and firefighters are considering; not responding to calls from the University of Florida or elsewhere outside Lawrence unless they are
See COMPROMISE page 9
Centenarian Marion Fowler
The University of Kansas' two new computer systems will be made available for the first time today, Paul Wolfe, computation center coordinator, said yesterday.
New computers cleared for use after final tests
The £4.2 million IBM I45 computer will be used primarily by University ad-
ministration. The Honeywell 66-60 system will be used by students, staff and faculty for instructional
By DAVESTEFFEN
The computation center staff finished two weeks of testing on the new systems.
Seitz said the major advantage to the user would be much faster turnaround time—that is, the time between submitting a program and getting it back.
The new Honeywell system has many advantages over the old research and instructional computer, Wafle said. The tapes can store more information on one reel, the computers are large enough while providing more space for programs and the printers are much quicker, be said.
Hours at the computation center will remain the same with the new systems, but the cost of projects is expected to drop slightly. Seitz said.
Woife said both Honeywell computers would be used in parallel operations for at least two months while the computation center was converting to the 66-60.
BY BECCI BREINING
Associate Female Editor
His memories go back 100 years
Seitz said time-sharing users, those who use the computer through a telephone tie-in, should dial 864-3430 if they wish to use the new 66-40. If you wish to use the old 635 Honeywell research and instruction computers, you can print, or print out, printing, or 864-4980 for slower printing.
Marion Fowler is 100 years old. He is an avid participant of life despite clouded vision and weakened hearing. His disability has been viewed as an assistance from a confusing world.
I visited Fowler this week to find out what it was like to live for a century. As a witness to half of this country's history, he could tell me about things I had missed. Viewed from the ground floor, his experiences war and progress is limited. Age and experience, I am told, are very wise teachers. From his peaceful room at Cherry Manor, Fowler looked at lush summer hills and
"ONE DAY I remember playin' with
some old turkey gobblers at the sawnmilk.
They were fun."
road after going to the convention that elected Grover Cleveland. I was pretty young then, 6-years-old, so things are kinda foggy. But I do remember that they were there because they didn't think that Cleveland was fit for anything, let alone president."
I asked Fowler which other presidents he remembered, and he paused for awhile, then with startling briefness said, "I was president. You knew Kennedy was president. They killed him."
When the United States declared war on Spain in April of 1808, Fowler was young and eager to enter the battle. But because a medical examination revealed that his right leg was shorter than the other, the army rejected him.
Pulling off his shoe with a laugh, he
KU police ready for Sunflower Spectacular
By MIKE DURHAM
The University of Kansas Police Department will have every available officer on duty July 4 to provide security for the Meporall Stadium interment celebration at Meporall Stadium.
"We're making a commitment," said Capt. Bobby Ellison of the KU Police Department. "Every officer we have, ex-
Ellison said the officers would direct traffic as well as patrol inside the stadium. The department's procedure for Sunflower stadium would be much like that of a home football game.
WHILE THERE are no specific regulations banning the use of fireworks
A detachment of 11 or 12 Lawrence police officers will be assigned to augment the University security detail, said Sargent Ron Dalquest of the Lawrence Police Department.
inside the stadium, Ellison said he hoped people, especially youngsters, would use common sense and not set off any fireworks because of the danger to the crowd.
Dalquest said the officers would be stationed in the stadium stands to prevent any harm to spectators or property. During last year's performance Memorial Stadium was plagged by a "crowd of vandals," he said.
The officers will be instructed to prevent people in the stands from setting off fireworks only if they are endangering lives or property.
BESIDES PROBLEMS created by events like Sunflower Spectacular, the traditional July 4th use of fireworks presents special worries for fire departments.
Lawrence Fire Chief John Kusberg said bottle rotted toks the list of In-1978 firefighters.
"Bottle rockets are number one in property damage because they have a tendency to land on a roof or even go down and catch a building on fire." Kasher said.
Kasperger said he anticipated that two or three buildings would be damaged by fire the day after.
ONE OF Kasberger's usual concerns, grass fires, shouldn't be much of a problem
"We have one thing going for us this year;
the grass is still green. If it's dry like it usually is is this time of year, we spend all day putting out grass fires all around town," Kasberer said.
Kasberger said that he wouldn't be assigning any extra to men on duty on the holiday but that there would be enough manpower to the job to handle any emergencies.
Enforcement of fireworks regulations is another seasonal responsibility for policemen and officers of the Douglas County Fire Department, the use of any fireworks declared illegal by the state of Kansas and a disregard for the time limits placed on the use of fireworks.
Violators will normally be given citations to appear before a judge who will then set the fine or sentence. Demory said. The maximum fine for a fire violation, the hound under which fireworkers regulations bound, is $100 or three months in jail, or both.
FIREWORK'S STAND merchandise is legal, but the sale of fireworks inside city buildings is prohibited.
Sgt. Roy Demory, Lawrence Police Department, said that during legal hours policemen answering noise complaints about firecrackers wouldn't cite those responsible with a violation of fireworks laws and would be charged for it, charge them with disturbing the peace. Such a charge will usually be considered only after 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.
The time period for the legal use of
newworks in Lawrence is from 7 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
pointed to his big toe and said, "If I'd a wore my cork toe, I would've made it!"
I FAUSED D for a moment then added,
"Then came the other war, but by that time
I had a big family to support and they told me no again."
Supporting his family during the Depression was a hard thing to do, he said. The years have dulled his memory of those bad times.
"I can't remember exactly how we worked it out, but I do remember it was pretty darn tough." His voice trailed off and he lapsed into silence.
The decades he spent as a farmer have made him wary of the consumption of land. He fears for the future of the fields where he once made his living.
"They're building houses on good land," he said, sweeping his arm toward the green countryside. "Pretty soon they'll be there and just like over in those other countries."
"WHAT WE GONNA do? We gonna get food, I may be mistaken, but if the population keeps growin', we're gonna be in trouble."
Fowler has great faith in the Bible. His conversation is laced with verses from the Old Testament, and he seems to find comfort in reciting passages.
Twenty years ago he bought a cemetery plot.
' it ain't my idea to live this long, but it's the Lord's will and I make no plans. God put us here just like little dust worms, and we can't know what's comin' next.'
When I asked Fowler about the Bicentennial, he was puzzled. He was unfamiliar with the word, and unaware that America was becoming 200 years old.
"I didn't realize that. I thought it was longer than it is. It've been more than that," she said. "I can't believe."
THE YEARS slip by in a hurry, I guess.
They don't wait for nobody.