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Wednesday, April 12, 1978
University Daily Kansan
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Comment
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kanaan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of only the writers.
The proposed prison honor camp near Clinton Lake is dead for now, victim of the Kansas Legislature's cavalier indifference.
In its place, pending final approval when the Legislature reconvenes, is a new camp near Toronto—which already has a camp, the only one in the state.
The honor camp question has haunted Douglas County in recent months, with the irrational fears of Clinton area landowners gaining in support. On the other side have been those who contend, with justification, that successful rehabilitation of prisoners depends on giving them the chance to gradually ease back into society. Honor camps give them that chance.
THERE are now 612 prisoners in Kansas qualified for minimum security status, qualified to work in an honor camp. Only 45 of them, at Toronto, can do so.
A bill to put an hon camp at Clinton was endorsed by honor. Robert F. Bennett and the Kansas Department of Corrections. The Legislature, however, ignored the careful planning that went into their support. In an 11th-hour move Friday, lawmakers made
deniedly decided to switch the Clinton site to Toronto.
What logic did the astute legislators rely on in making their sudden switch? Apparently none. The decision was made after State Rep. Denny Burgess, R-Wamego, asked whether any legislator wanted to volunteer his home district as a site for the camp. The only one who responded was Rep.C. Fred Lorentz, R-Fredonia, whose district happens to include Toronto.
IT IS HEARTENING to note that Toronto residents, speaking through Lorentz, apparently wouldn't mind having another camp. But it is dismaying that the Legislature took a frivolous, coin-flip attitude toward the camp's location. That attitude is symbolic of the last-minute maneuvering that annually precedes legislative adjournment.
Legislators have one more chance to seriously consider where they want the camp; they go back to Topeka at the end of this month to finish up what they couldn't do during the regular session. Whatever they decide, the very least that should be expected of them is well-reasoned debate on an important subject.
KU fire repairs imminent
To the editor:
I believe it would be appropriate for me to offer some comments concerning the editorial "Fire Repairs Needed" that appeared in the Friday edition of the Kansas. The authors of the facts stated in the editorial are essentially correct, the way they were presented gives a false impression.
First of all, the state fire marshal's inspection report was transmitted to the University of Kansas in January 1978. The majority of discrepancies can be corrected through normal maintenance or at least Most of these already have been corrected; others currently are being corrected.
Any remaining discrepancies require additional funds that must be allocated through the state process. As I'm sure you know, funds allocated by the Kansas Legislature each year will be collected July 1 of the following year. Each year the Kansas Board of Regents is allocated a sum of money to use for major repairs, special maintenance or equipment in the Regents' institution. Projects to be undertaken with these funds are requested each May and
KANSAN Letters
considered by the board at its June meeting. The funds for these projects then become available to remain in discrepancies identified in the state fire marshal's inspection report will be included in our request submitted to the Regents next
The remaining items identified in the report will require a considerable amount of money to correct and will have a major impact on the appearance of particular buildings in question. These items are listed in the report, and will be completed on a physical development plan and will be completed on a planned schedule of improvements.
Of particular interest in the editorial was Watson Library. The Legislature has approved funds for the renovation of Watson, and this renovation will include the new exit as noted in the state fire marshal's report. As far as hoch Auditinum is concerned, it was taken for the replacement of the stage curtains and other repairs in the stage area that were identified in a state fire mar-
shal's recommendation. Discrepancies in the Kansas Union and Allen Field House were discussed during the coming months.
In our capital improvement request submitted this past month to the Regents for consideration by the Legislature, we included a request for the renovation of 10 additional buildings on the law-capital. We believe the capital improvements in these facilities will correct the majority of discrepancies noted during the recent fire inspection.
A considerable amount of work has been accomplished since the state fire marshal's inspection report was transmitted to us in January. Acquisition of funds often takes a considerable amount of time, but we would like—but we are pressing ahead as vigorously as possible. We are very concerned that all our buildings be safe, and we believe the plans we have developed will enable us to correct all deficiencies as by the state fire marshal as soon as possible. *W. Max Luax*
University director of facilities planning
Right to listen lost in protests
Internationally prominent people like former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the late David Auditorium. Many University of Kansas students probably attended his lecture Thursday night just so they could one day hear Rabin on their college campus. I know—I went to Rabin's lecture not because I have fixed opinions on the subject, but because I wanted to hear the man.
If I hadn't shown up for the lecture a full hour before it was scheduled to start, the noise that built up gradually between 7 and 8 would have been more than enough to scare me off. Throngs of people were outside Hoch.
About 200 Arab protesters gathered at the west side, of a flower box in Berlin, a group of Israeli backers was organized on the east side. The two groups shouted at each other loudly.
inecessarily "ZIONISM is racism! Rabin is a murderer!
The neutral American students, who were early for the lecture and were outside enjoying the mild night air, far out into the courtyard, they could do was watch, wait and wonder.
"Remember the '72 Olympics! Long live Israel!"
"No, a lot of those kids over there," she said, nodding toward KU students in the Israeli group, "are just young middle-class kids from St. Louis and Kansas City. I
"Do you think this will get violent?" I asked a friend.
recognized many of them from Binai Brth groups. They're Jews, but they're American Jews. They just don't have it in them to get violent."
THEERE 18 is much to admire about students who attend schools outside their countries. The simultaneous challenge of tackling college and a whole new culture must appeal to the ablest and most confident students.
Foreign students at KU no doubt represent some of the most committed youth in their nations. To be 2,000 miles away that is being territorially threatened must be frustrating.
During the outside demonstration before Rabin's lecture, some American students added their own sentiments to the political discourse in Big Blue. "How fraserting."
The press was out in force for the Rabin event. Both groups were most willing to pose for pictures. Somehow their cooperation watered down their sincerity. How much of their experience was original? How much was information of what they had seen other professional demonstrators do?
PURSES and bags were checked at the door. Inside, eyes were everywhere. Heavy-set men in suits were
The two groups outside had freshened my memory of the conflicting opinions between Israel and the Arab nations. When I went in for the lecture, however, I was ready to deal with Rabin on my own. But the demonstrators wouldn't let me.
leaning on the balcony,
starting at nothing and
everything. Men were peeking
from the curtain on the
table.
It's fair to say that the Arab protesters were mostly responsible for disrupting Rabin's lecture. The outbursts appeared to be scheduled, and the interruptions when he was making no particularly controversial remarks.
I had read the flyer the Arabs handed out before the lecture start. It stated that they wanted Palestinians. I figured that they had meant to say "suppressment." They labeled governments "fasciist," but did not want to call them "fasciast." The errors are easily understandable but detract from the credibility of a group seriously trying to prey on the masses. I grouped a group of literate Americans.
ONCE INSIDE the auditorium, while Rabin was speaking, I found it even more insulting that the Arabs wouldn't trust the Americans to them, undisturbed, to Rabin.
was all the demonstrators could legitimately protest. There was some patronizing effort to dissuade but some in the audience missed the content of what he had to say. The demonstrators deprived them of an excellent opportunity to judge at least Rabin's side.
Because the demonstrators yelled and ran up and down the aisles, it was difficult to reach them. The man himself of Rabin. The man himself
IT IS a shame that the majority of Rabin's audience missed what he had to say because a minority of the audience could guess what he would say. The Americans' freedom to listen was impaired by the conservatives' freedom to protest.
Some people said that the protesters should have been more mindful of the fact that the Guests usually are given the best a host has to offer. The First Amendment right is one of the finest marks in the law. As such, it should be respected.
Although the police were certainly cognizant of their restrictions, they did not shy away from certain tactics that were intimidating, though not incriminating.
When the police officer with the camera started snapping pictures, it was easy for innocent bystanders to begin checking their reactions to what was going on. Exactly what the police wanted. Those pictures were taken to help in the investigation of the law and its consequences.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT Friday afternoon that Chancellor Archie R. Dykes would take disciplinary action against the protesters came
from out of the blue. Dykes sat up on the stage during the entire Rabin lecture. He talked with some man from behind the curtain and consulted his watch often. Not once during the countless interruptions did he, as the University's highest microphone and ask for some courtesy to be paid the University's guest.
At one point during the ruckus, a policeman stalked down the aisle, grabbed a flag from an Arab protester and walked to the back of Hoch with the crumpled flag in his hand. Americans would not tolerate this act, American flag nor should they tolerate any disrespect for other nations' flaws.
THERE WAS really nothing funny about what happened the night Rabin came to Lawrence. But some students later said that it was rather a coincidence that the 1960s knew no bounds. The potential of what might have happened was indeed exciting. But now that the temporary excitement is gone, fortunately without violence, the educators actually accomplish?
The pathetic postscript to it all is that nothing has been changed. Consciousness of those problems in their relations with KU students has been increased somewhat. But the anti-Rabin demonstrators failed miserably in their attempt to solicit sympathy for their allies, only hurt it.
Rabin talk ruined by protesters; KU disgraced
To the editor:
Letters
It's unbelievable that Thursday's J.A. Vickers Memorial Lecture was ruined for everyone who came to hear former Prime Minister Rabin speak by an audience of students and University lecturer into a noisy and senseless political rally. Not only were the disruptive outbreaks offensive to the interested audience, Chancellor Archie Dykes and his family were also disgraced to the University. It is abbreviate that a former figurehead of world politics was treated with blatant disrespect. It's paradoxical that, while many of these "students" cried for the president even willing to let Rabin respond to their own questions.
Furthermore, it was stated in the Kansan April 16 that requests were approved by the University Events Committee to protest Rabin's speech from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in front of Audrey Husband. The committee stated that the committee had warned "the excessive noise was not permissible" and that people "could be charged with disturbing the peace if any complaints were received by the police." Not only were these warnings ignored by the protesters, but the stated regulations were not enforced.
It's bad enough that the "students" abused the permission granted to them, but the content of their remarks does not seem to obey Rabin's speech. The constant repetition of political slogans
did not even clash with the ideas Mr. Rabin stated.
Finally, Mr. Rabin is to be commended for his patience and perseverance in dealing with a group whose main objective was not to listen and learn, but only to disrupt.
Howard Epstein
Topeka sophomore
Robin Nathan
St. Louis sophomore
Howard Small
Overland Park sophomore
Dael Waxman
Overland Park sophomore
Reserved seats just an option
I would like to make my final statement regarding the letter to the editor written by Steve Leben.
To the editor:
As Steve stated, there were two witnesses to the conversation he had with Jerry Waugh in January. One was Mike Harper, student body president, and the other was
me. To set the record straight, at no time did Jerry Waugh ever say or imply that the team would go to reserved seating during basketball games. I was the one who had stated to Mike and Steve that we were considering a new mode of our options for the future.
This idea had been brought to my attention by student basketball fans who were upset with the team's performance during sell-out games. I had been explaining our difficulties in keeping students with the team in line, sitting in the general admission student area. This was the
reason we had students who couldn't find seats.
To support what I was saying, I asked Jerry, who was walking down the hall, to explain our seating problems to Mike and I, who were talking about our seating problems, and in reply to a question from Steve, he stated that we were considering reserved seating as an option. He stressed at that time that no decision had been made and that it was only another possibility being considered.
Whether what Steve stated was a "fignet of (his) imagination" I don't know. In any case, he explained twice what explained what happened to Kansan reporters, and both times it was omitted in their stories. I hope this letter should help us understand of what was said.
Bert Nunley Lawrence junior
City air quality concerns prof
To the editor
The Kansan on April 4, 1978, published an editorial entitled "City Must Explain Criticism of Air Quality" by Pat Allen. In this article, certain conclusions were drawn concerning the professional attitude of Dennis D. Lane, assistant professor of civil engineering at University of Kansas who could like to formally thank that the following reply to these comments be published in the Kansan.
The business of air quality is complex. It requires the interaction of many scientific and
engineering disciplines. A simple overview would contain three factors: 1) source of air pollution, 2) transport of air pollutant and the pollution. In an ideal sense, we would like to exactly quantify all three of these factors; however, the number of variables involved is often enormous. This leaves us with experience to sort out the puzzling details of the air pollution problem. When you add the pressure of time to this equation, an assumption is made: viable solutions are imperative. By using valuable data and findings from many researchers, we can strengthen our assumptions into reasonable ones, thus attempting to do in the case of Lawrence's ozone problem.
It is unfortunate that Allen did not ask specifically whether I was concerned for the citizens of Lawrence. My immediate response to this question, is yes! Sometimes we become too involved with technical explanations and neglect to emphasize why the effort is being made. In a compensatory Health Group consists of conscientious individuals who realize the importance of protecting the public sector against poor practice in professional training in air resources and concerned about them, my prime motivation in accepting this particular problem was to help me find someone else, one problem indeed exists, this solution would include finding a means to protect those
individuals that could be harmfully affected by ozone in any way. In retrospect, I only wish that Allen would have been as specific in her questioning about my personal feelings of ozone. The right of Lawrence citizens as she was about the technical explanations associated with the situation.
In closing, I would like to caution Allen on her attitude toward a serious professional question. A quote by John W. explains well the realistic aspects of the problem at hand:
"Some of those who complain
about the quality of our national life seem to be dreaming of a world in which everyone without exception has talent, taste, judgement and an unsurviving allegiance to excellence. Such a world is not profitable. The problem is to achieve some measure of excellence in this society, with all its beloved and exasperating clutter, with all its exciting and debilitating confusion of standards, with all the stubborn problems that won't solve and the equally stubborn ones that might be." Donna Ikea
Assistant professor of civil engineering
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