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Thursday, April 13, 1978
University Daily Kansan
=UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Comment
Unagged editorial represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of only the writers.
Liquor bill sensible
Irresponsible rhetoric and political fences-straddling are beginning to dominate the question of whether liquor should be served in Kansas restaurants.
The controversy began when the Kansas Legislature voted last week to strip away some of the hypocrisy that has surrounded state liquor laws since Prohibition. A last-minute bill provides that restaurants getting at least half of their money from food sales can sell and serve liquor.
The bill means that restaurants no longer would have to go through the charades of liquor pools, club memberships or waiting periods to get members. That's straight-forward enough, and long overdue. Kansas liquor laws are the laughingstock of the United States.
THE PROBLEM is, though, that the bill might violate the Kansas Constitution, which prohibits the "open saloon." Resolution of that issue, of course, belongs in the courts.
Unfortunately, some Kansans are having strange reactions to the bill, which deserves to be judged on anything but emotional criteria.
Gov. Robert F. Bennett, for example, proved his talent for decisive leadership by allowing the bill to become law without his signature. He waffled. Although Bennett said he harbored doubts about the measure's constitutionality, the logical conclusion voters may draw is that he simply didn't want to offend anyone.
Bennett did arouse the wrath of the Rev. Richard Taylor, president of the Kansas United Dry Forces and self-appointed guardian of the state's morals. In one of the most vicious, irresponsible statements ever uttered by a Kansas lobbyist, Taylor said that "every time we read of child and wife abuse caused by a mind drugged with alcohol, we will remember Gov. Bennett."
NONSENSE. Taylor, who made similar statements about other officials who supported the bill, damaged only his own credibility. But both Bennett and Taylor in different ways, let the state down.
The liquor debate requires facts, not loaded language or playing both sides of the issue. When legislators reconvene and clarify confusing parts of the liquor bill, reason rather than rhetoric must hold sway.
In 1867, a couple who lived together in Kansas without the sanction of a marriage commission and were criminally prosecuted. In 1978, that possibility still exists. The difference today, however, is that most state officials ignore laws against the statute of unlawful cohabitation.
Cobabitation statute hypocritical
What is the point of having a law that is widely violated but rarely enforced? What, in fact, is the point, of such a law?
STATE REP. WARD Ferguson, D-McPherson, said, "It really bothers me that we're thinking of doing away with one of the Ten Commandments. State Rep. Geoffrey Roberts said the House might just as well repalit all the commandments.
Bipartisan support of an issue ordinarily is refreshing. In this case, though, it makes one wonder how both political parties can commit to defending lawmakers sent to the capital not only are misreadening their constituents but, also, for the umpteenth time, are
To listen to what the Kansas House of Representatives had to say about it last week, this state law is needed to uphold the even older biblical Ten Commandments to repeal the law, the house, on a voice vote, rejected the suggestion.
It is not often that Playboy magazine calls the Kansas. It happened Tuesday.
"Yes, this is John Beele. B-e-c-e, and this, you're wearing a booze loomed. Did you wear our silver jacket?"
Usually, editors and reporters are busy in the newsroom taking messages about everything from irate foreign students to campus politics who wonder why they weren't quoted in the last meeting story. But every now and then, Playboy calls
The reporter who answered the phone, let's refer to her as Susan—w was mystified about why anyone was calling long-distance calls. She put the man on hold and passed the buck.
"Actually, it was much more enjoyable taking to Susan," he continued. "Heh-heh."
In search of Playboy's centerfold
kj604
GOOD NEWS travels fast. But Mr. B-e-l-e probably had something astounding to say, and it would have been rude to hang up.
If Beele knew the reporter, he wouldn't have said that. She has been active in feminist groups.
John Mueller
Editorial editor
"heh-heh-heh," he repeated. "Anyway, we're looking for someone for our January
Not really.
Hold on. Mr. Beele. What do male editors have to do with your centerfold? For that matter, are you after our voluptuous Kansan women?
"It's like this," he said. "Whoever is the bury girl gets $25,000. Isn't that great?"
Of course it's great. But what does that have to do with the tedium of American life?
"Sure, and remember, B-e-e-l-e, heh-heh-
beh."
"WE'RE GOING TO be at Crown Center April 30 through May 7 for this. We thought maybe you could do a story on the fact that our Silver Anniversary Girl will be representing us at Silver Anniversary functions.
'With the help of college newspapers, we can find the right person, heeh-heh.'
Well, Mr. Beele, don't you leave your
new book, or back if someone's
in interested in writing it?
Susan's subsequent response can't be run in a family newspaper, or the Kansas.
It turns out that newspapers are being asked to work as a search committee of sorts for the magazine's 25-year anniversary model. With the help of Hugh Hefner and enterprise reporting, justice will prevail and the right Cinderella
Remember the custodians
The death of the American work ethic usually is bemoaned by arch-conservatives, who are typically envisioned as exposing the demise of the American plush corporeate boardrooms.
They still call themselves jantors, although that word has been discarded in a $75,344-amount contract with a housekeeping consulting service. The Army Management Services of Denver.
"What's in a name?" The custodial workers reply: Nothing.
But workers in the housekeeping service at the University of Kansas, far from home, are some of the hardest critics of contemporary attitudes toward old-fashioned elbow grease. They are convinced that nobody wants to work any
"PEOPLE JUST don't want to work any more," Jack Beerbower, a 17-year veteran of the KU housekeeping service, said Tuesday during his lunch hour.
"Six or seven out of 15 people I hired the other week showed up." Beerbower said. "Nobody wants to work."
Starting wages for a custodial workers are about $110/month. For a household of four, a worker would amount to less than federal poverty guidelines recommend as minimum living standards. Few workers would disaffect accuracy of the moldlines.
"You can't live on this," one woman said. Others concurred.
Unemployment insurance received few accolades from those gathered for lunch in the supervisors' room.
"You see," Joe Hayes, a supervisor, said, "We're working mostly for something to do. Most of us do something else to get along."
"I've never been on welfare."
As Level Five civil servants under state regulations, custodians are entitled to the same fringe benefits available to all civil service employees. Cost-of-living increases, merit increases, a mandatory retirement plan would allow an employee to more than one year's employment, an employees' health insurance plan and an optional health insurance plan for dependents are parts of the civil service security package. But such amenities often appear to be little more than a bonus afterstarter, given the bitter social status that a custodian possesses.
ANOTHER MAN said "I've been on welfare once, when I came up from Arkansas, for two weeks."
Still, the workers are more philosophical than bitter about their social status, which, of course, is a relative impression. In a throwaway society, they are responsible for cleaning up
society's feces and making everything look new and shiny.
one supervisor said. "I worked for my dad, and here, I'd never put my family on welfare."
ARE THEIR jobs really degrading? Or is there a chauffurin, more insidious than any sexism, that gnaws at the consumer's heart and standard of living? Hearts that never hesitate to go out to the consumer ignore the shiners and the polishers who, by a sort of taceless slap, live in a throwaway living in a throwaway culture so clean and nice.
"People think the bathrooms clean themselves," one worker, who asked not to be identified, said. "If we stayed away for three days, you wouldn't even be able to go in there."
But the next time you crush a butt on the waxed floor, or drop a MacDonald's wrapper or newspaper in the corridors, remember the shiners and the polishers.
The custodians don't ask for pity, which would be patronizing and the ultimate form of degradation. They're able to make their own way without any help.
Pat Allen Editorial writer
treading on areas where they don't belong.
and no more than $1,000 or sentenced to jail for no less than 30 days and no more than three months."
THE STATE defines unlawful cohabitation as 'Any persons living together in this state without being married shall be deemed to have cohabited and on conviction thereof shall be fined a sum no less than $500
According to this law, the hundreds of "unlawful cohabitants" in the state right now are committing crimes against the people of the state of Kansas. But that just isn't so. The lawful cohabitants are in no way suffering from unlawful cohabitation. A more serious condition is that it is destructive to "the family structure"—a concept that is difficult to test in a court of law.
Unlawful cohabitation itself is difficult to interpret. What kind of behavior constitutes living as a couple? Is it an unmount or a shared double bed? And if a couple think they are common law partners, do they
fulfill the state's requirement that the two cohabitants be married?
THE LAWRENCE City Commission, when it revised the city code two years ago, admirably deleted the city ordinance that prohibited unlawful cohabitation.
The significance of the move is somewhat nebulous, because although the city officials washed their hands of the evidence inhabitants still are liable for state prosecution.
The repeal of the ordinance does not exactly qualify Lawrence for Sim City billing. It doesn't move to Lawrence if they're thinking of living together "Not really; it's just being down to the
county attorney's office and file a complaint. And state action for this victimless crime still may be taken.
For the Kansas judicial system to punish a couple "living in sin" is just as wrong as the Kansas Legislature's belief that it is responsible for upholding the punishment of those sinners. The legislators of the state's residents whom they hold to be "living in grace" also is inherently wrong.
This is 1798, after all. If a law that was bad when it was written hasn't been repealed before now, now is the time to do it. To say that the law should be repealed in the future is rarely enforced is a hypocritical excuse for a law and is no comfort at all.
Opposing viewpoints demanded
It is fortunate that the call for debate by an American man in the audience was not accepted by Rabin and Obama. With Israel having done its point through lobbying efforts and control of the American media for 30 years, a forum presentation would have been a more appropriate present at the University.
To the editor:
As an alumna of KU, I am greatly distressed at the attitude the administration has taken toward the protest exponent past us. I came to the lecture to hear a dialogue on current issues in the Middle East. It is obvious that Rabin is a highly controversial figure. In figure 187 of the alliance army in 1867, he ordered the first shot fired, which led to the occupation of the West Bank, Sinai and Golan Heights. As prime minister, he was a great supporter to the Middle East and continued Israel's policy of preparation for further expansion and armed conflict. It is this policy that has been the aggression in Lebanon, including, as reported by U.S. Rep. Paul McCloskey, the use of cluster bombs on two Palestinian refugee camps, causing "widespread loss of life."
KANSAN Letters
The answer that questions would be answered was an evasion of the need for expression of opposing viewpoints and verification since only a few questions were answered, with long lines remaining at the microphones by Dykes ended the program.
It is clear that the administration and the Vickers organization conspired to spread Zionist ideology in Lawmaker polls in Iowa, and that all groups wishing to have an event on campus must get a permit from the University Events Committee, yet favoritism was shown when the committee allowed to demonstrate in front of Hoch Auditorium without having permission from the committee. It was allowed by the administration to use an anti-Rabin demonstrator against anti-Rabin demonstrators by the events committee.
After the lecture, I approached the representatives of the Vickers family to ask if they felt any obligation to present speakers with opposing views with Vickers no, that it was private money and that he felt no such obligation. Apparently he
forgets that, as written in the program, the lecture series was established to stimulate debate.
According to an April 8 newspaper report, Rabin asked that the protesters not be removed from the auditorium. Despite this, Del Shankel executive vice chancellor, now has his boundaries set to be subject to discipline with possible sanctions ranging from probation to expulsion." In his speech Rabin said, "In Arab countries there is no democracy. There they would not be allowed to do what they are doing; needs to be ensured that there is no democracy in the Israeli-occupied territory of the West Bank, where protest and demonstration are punished by imprisonment. If Shankel carries out its duties, it will be clear that reprisals, it will be clear that no democracy here, either.
I call on the Vickers Foundation and the University to immediately begin to make arrangements to be presented, by bringing James Aboreczek, senator from South Dakota, as well as an articulate spokesman for President Obama. Turn, Palestinian Liberation Organization observer to the United Nations. This would be a better way for Shanklet to spend his time with the witch must he has portended.
Marjorie Batdorf
2414 Ousdahl
New bridge's design an ugly mistake
The first time I drove over the new Vermont Street bridge I was astonished. I immediately recognized that this bridge was no ordinary architectural structure, but was no Golden Gate on the Kaw.
but this was on a moonless night, so I thought it would be best to wait until daylight before I made a final judgment. During the day the bridge is still ully.
It resembles a patch of western Kansas highway -flat, straight and bland as hell. The most exciting thing about the hill is that it's comforting thing is that it doesn't have any bumps.
What the bridge looked like, I reasoned carefully, was an ugly slab of concrete.
But just because it is new and
Steven Stingley Editorial writer
smooth doesn't make the bridge a tribute to the city.
LAWRENCE HAS waited a long time for the bridge, and for the cleaning up and modernization of the entire riverfront area surrounding the old Massachusetts Street bridge. That area, including the barge and the bridge and the Bowersock Mill buildings, has been a tremendous enewsor for years.
surely we in Kansas are not so isolated from the world to think that the problem of the refugees in the Palestinian refugees can be totally unemotionally considered by the parties involved, even if the discussion is around the world from the battle areas.
ONE HAS to assume that the bridge's design is functional and safe-at least it appears that way. Certainly it is good to get traffic off the old Kansas River bridge and onto something stronger and sounder.
In our more than 100 years of peace here in Lawrence, even television and the other media probably do not really make us conscious of how personal and current the suffering is to both sides of the Palestinian question in history nor an academic problem to the people who live near or in the area and are now on campus.
And now that the unsafe Massachusetts Street bridge and the dilapidated Bowersock buildings are going to be replaced by two new bridges and a new city hall, the city has
a grand opportunity to construct three grand landmarks of which the people of Lawrence can be proud.
But because the next new bridge will be similar to the one just completed, it looks as if the town has two strikes against it.
The new Vermont Street bridge looks modern, appropriately fitting into the stark nature of modern architecture, but it also looks ugly. There is no reason why the eye except perhaps the painted lines down the middle of the gray.
What's more astonishing than driving over Lawrence's new "landmark" is knowing that certainly will be another like it.
THE TWO BRIDGES across the Kansas River are costing $3.7 million, a hefty price tag.
It is hoped that something a little more invigorating and aesthetically prominent will come out of the battered Bowerstock eyewear when the city hall is designed and built.
But it seems as if the county, which ultimately was responsible for construction of the bridge, failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to build an architectural masterpiece, instead of just an engineered structure. It could be a Golden Gate, but it didn't have to be a Gray Gate either.
For that price, it seems as though concrete and steel could have been put together in a better way. Public architecture generally permits the appearance of any city. This is especially true in Lawrence's case, when the city is attempting to substitute something better for something more appropriate in the city will surround the new city hall.
Consequently, we believe it is extremely unrealistic and one-sided to expect all Arab-Moslem students to passively sit in disagreement while the former commanding general of the Israeli army urged the Mosleh to lecture J.A. Vickers Memorial Lecture and their point of view is largely ignored by omission.
Last, I (Rex Powell) sat near the front from 7:30 to the end of the lecture, and at no time did I hear one word of warning that those people beckoning the lecture were students in university discipline. Numerous opportunities were available to Chancellor Dykles, the police who rushed into the auditorium and other University administrative offices, simple, clear warning. Instead, all those people stood watching in complete silence.
Hope that the outsider will not judge Lawrence for its blant architecture as he crosses over the slab of concrete in the city, and will not be a believer in the adage that a civilization's, or community's,
The bridges connecting north Lawrence and downtown Lawrence will be key entrances to the city and will form many impressions of the city when it reaches the riverside after.
One redeeming characteristic of the new bridge is the view of the city and of the Kansas River across it, which is higher than the old bridge.
Driving south on the new bridge, one clearly can see the buildings atop Mount Oread. It is also easy to see the pleasant, tree-covered riverfront of the Kaw when one looks west from both sides. Both are good reflections of Lawrence, and both are landmarks of which the people of Lawrence can be proud.
But the Gray Gate is another story. Although the bridge is modern, safe and functional, it does not have a ceiling and an architectural mistake.
SURELY THE people and the culture of Lawrence are not as cold as their bridges.
architecture is a reflection of its people's values and culture.
Protesters had right to speak
We would like to comment on Del Shankel's announcement that "demonstrators who interrupted Rabin's speech will be subject to discipline" such action would be a very serious mistake on the part of the University administration.
We urge the administration to restore balance to this emotional situation by recognizing the necessity of presenting both sides of the issue and by immediately ending considerations of probation and explosion.
To the editor
Rex R. Powell
Janet C. Powell
RFD 5
Lawrence
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