COLD
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Monday November 28,1977
The University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Vol. 88, No. 61
War rages over Flint Hills park
By JANE PIPER
Staff Writer
A modern range war is raging in the rolling Fint Hill area of central Kansas about issues far more complex than cattlemen of a bygone era even dreamed about. The fighting has attracted national attention.
The cause of the controversy is a bill introduced in Congress late in September by Rep. Larry Orr (D-MO) 107-900-screw alligators national park and preserve known as Chase South. It encompasses land where the boundaries of Chase, Lyon, Butler and Dauphin State Park.
The bill is an attempt to preserve one of the few remaining areas of native vegetation in the Great Plains. The Flint Hills area contains most of what is left of a vast tallgrass prairie that once stretched from western Indiana to central Kansas and from the Canadian Rockies.
THE AREA, STILL highlighted in spots by native bluestem grasses that thrive in the wetland preserve while much of the tallgrass prairie elsewhere in the Midwest has been converted to cropland. The Flint Hills' area is thin, rocky soil has acted as a barrier.
Winn's bill would be a dream come true for park proponents, who have been
seeking since 1959 to have part of the Flint Hills set aside as a national park. Original proposals for a tallgrass park in the Midwest date back to 1925.
A victory for the proponents, however, would mean a loss of thousands of acres of pasture and farmland and would displace ranch families, some of whom have lived on the land for several generations. For those reasons, the bill would have prevented us from having Winn's previous park bills, all of which have been defeated.
THE RECENT BILL differs from earlier ones in that the acreage requested this time is nearly triple. The proposal sets aside 58 per cent of the acreage as a national park and the remaining as private preserve. The preserve would be subject to less restrictive activity than the park, mainly because of oil exploration there. Neither opponents nor proponents of the park can say how many farm families own or live on the land, distinguish between landowners actually living on their land and absentee owners and tenants; they say that fewer than 10 landowners would be moved by the park. But opponents, saying that an earlier proposal for a much smaller park would affect many families, contend that this combined park and preservation affect many more.
There have been no studies yet to determine the number of families that would be affected.
Proponents of such a park, consolidated in an organization known as Save the Tallgrass Prairie, (INC, StP) have said that the Pflint Hills area is the only large intact tract of tallgrass prairie left in the United States.
Assurances from the ranchers that the land is being well managed apparently have done little to ease the minds of park proponents in STP, who have seen thousands of acres of native prairie fall by the wayside in recent years.
A FEAR OF encroachments on the prairie from outside sources, such as utility companies or developers, ranks uppermost in many minds. Kansas has experienced a square miles of land in Pottawatomie County for construction of the Jeffry Energy Center. Overgrazing and plowing the land to plant non-native grasses also have created problems, according to an Iowa law enforcement attorney and president of STP.
STP gives several examples of prairie land in the Midwest that has disappeared because of encroachments. When the Trail was established, there was a park during the 1930s, it discovered that
See PARK page six
FBI memos disclose past KU infiltration
Staff Writer
By BRIAN SETTLE
The FBI released documents last week stating that it had tried to create divisions among New Left groups at the University of Kansas during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
But Tom Gleason, a Lawrence lawyer who participated in leftist activities during the late 1960s, said most radicals were more worried about being arrested by former Atty. Gen. Vern Miller than being infiltrated by the FBI.
Gleason said yesterday there had been a "not very united front" at the University. Instead there had been a variety of groups concerned about a variety of causes.
"EVERYBODY THOUGH their phone was tapped," the Gleason said, "but I think it was more because we were concerned about them on a trumped-up drug charge by Miller."
theatrical drug raids in Lawrence during his term as Kansas attorney general.
The FBI recently released memos between J. Edgar Hover, its late director, and the special agent in charge of the Kansas City field office. The memos were among the files from the FBI's "CONTINELPRO," a domestic counter-intelligence program.
Miller was known for his many, often
A Dec. 31, 1968, memo to Hoover said that although there was then New Left activity on the area campuses, the activity "had been weak and inactive", according to Ken Peterson, Washington correspondent for the Topeka Capital-Journal, and managing editor of the University Daily Kansas in the spring of 1970.
The memos, dated from 1968 to 1971, show that the Kamasan city office was, at first, not open, but in April 1971.
THE KANAS CITY FIELD office handles
affairs for western Missouri and all of KC.
Gleason said he was active in the radical groups, especially the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), but was never a leader.
"There really was not a single Left, as such, to attack. There was as much disagreement among the groups as there were agreement with the administration."
GLEASON agreed with the FBI's Kansas City field office summary.
"We did not feel we were substantial enough to warrant any federal injunctions."
"I WAS FRIENDLY with a lot of the people who were leading the groups, especially Buzz Fisher (president of the DSO). However, my main course of action was to sit around and suggest things, make sure details were attended to correctly."
Gleason said the only strong FBI activity see FBI page ning
Proposals to shift library generate opposing views
See FBI page ni
Bv MARY-ANNE OLIVER
Staff Writer
A proposal to move the Art Library from Watson Library to the new Helen Foreman Spencer Museum of Art has met with op-rationally opposed Kansas administrators and faculty member.
Two committees are now looking into the possibility of moving the reportedly overcrowded Art Library to the lower level of Spencer Museum.
Spencer Museum is the new location for the Art Museum and was built with money given by Helen Foresman Spencer. The Spencer Museum will open Jan. 17, 1978.
Although the Art Library is short of space, Elizabeth Banks, assistant professor of classics and art history, is opposed to its being moved out of Watson.
Moving the materials to Spencer Museum would be inconvenient to many users, Banks said, affecting people in disciplines besides art history.
"THE PROBLEM with the Art Library is that history of art is part of the humanities," she said recently. "Many of us view it as interdisciplinary."
They said that the Art Library in Spencer Museum would be too far away from the central campus and that students and faculty both would use it much less.
Wallace Johnson, associate professor of Oriental languages; David Katzman, associate professor of history; and Charles H. Kahn, dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Design, agreed that the move would be inconvenient.
But Martha Kekhe, art librarian, said, "I think that argument is ridiculous. Spencer Museum is not so tar from Strong and I want to use of the Art Library will skrivetko."
Spencer Museum is immediately west of the Kansas Union.
Fire damage at McCollum partly repaired
"When you build a decent building for a
The University Senate Libraries committee is discussing plans to build a new library where holdings of all the branch libraries would be. This library has been funded by some officials, and does not have enough money to keep branch libraries, some officials have said.
The new library could be finished in 1984, at the earliest. However, no funds currently exist to build it.
Stadium renovation loan approved
Walker said last week that renovations would include:
By MARY HOENK and DEB RIECHMANN
Staff Writers
By the start of next year's football season, the Kansas Memorial Stadium is expected to have a new look-at the expense of football ticket holders.
The Kansas University Endowment Association last week granted a $18.3-million loan for renovating the stadium. The loan will be repaid by the University (KUAC) will repay the loan through a surcharge on tickets that will increase the price of a student ticket next year from $20
CLYDE WALKER, KU athletic director,
said yesterday that stadium renovations
were expected to be completed by Sept. 1,
and the team will play its first
season at home.Some with Texas A&M.
The surcharge, to be imposed beginning next fall, will increase the price of student football tickets by 50 cents a game, faculty tickets by 60 cents a game and public tickets by $1 a game.
KAHN WAS disappointed that a new branch library would be built by moving art material to Spencer, conflicting with a recent proposal to abuild branch libraries.
- Replacement of the artificial playing surface.
library, the use increases four times, sometimes six times."
- Concrete restoration, waterproofing and new seating.
"We are pleased that arrangements have been finalized with the Endowment Association, Walker said. "This will allow us to have a single sign contracts at the earliest possible date."
Kahn said, "We won't buy that we can't afford branch libraries and then establish a branch."
- miscellaneous expenses, including electrical, water and sewage lines and connection costs.
- Renovation of public restroom facilities.
* Improving and expansion of the press box.
Todd Seymour, president of the Endowment Association, said he did not know when KK would need the money to start a new residence. But it would not be needed for several months.
According to a library official who did not want to be identified, the移动艺术馆还拒绝了该申请。
- Renovation of dressing rooms.
"THEYLL HAVE to contract with the people who will do the work, and we'll loan it to them as they need it over a period of time." Sevmour said.
Neither Walker nor Seymour would disclose the interest rate of the loan.
The loan had tentatively been requested for a 20-year period, but Seymour said repayment of the approved loan, including the amount should cover a period not exceeding 15 years.
J. J. Wilson, director of housing, said yesterday that the fire, which started about 5 p.m. in room 863 on the south wing of the building, caused $10 million in damages. John Kasberger, Lawrence fire chief, said that the figure was about eight divided between structural damage and casualty losses.
See LIBRARY page two
Seymour said details about the interest rate on the loan would have to be disclosed in his report, MACR.
But Walker refused to comment on the interest rate of the loan or whether it was
He said, however, that the interest received from the loan would be used to pay the debt.
"Normally that kind of thing is not made public." Sevmour said.
"NATURALLY WE'RE pleased to help with this project," he said. "We look upon it as a financial transaction that will benefit the University."
Although the fire was contained to the room, Wilson said, other rooms in that wing suffered heat and water damage. But they weren't damaged and allow students to return to their rooms.
"ONE OF THE two students won't be back in town until tomorrow." Kasberger said last night. "We're waiting to talk to him what he see had in the burned area."
Cleanup operations are partly complete at Columbla Hall repair damage caused by a fire.
Kasberger said the investigation possibly could be wrapped up tomorrow if enough data had been obtained.
Wilson refused to elaborate but said he thought a cause could be attributed to a malfunction of some of the residents' property.
He said workers repainted the hallway and the floor lounge last week and had replaced the ceiling. Steps also were taken to prevent the smell of smoke from the building.
"I'm assuming it was electrical," he said. "HOWEVER, KASERGER said that so far the investigation had turned up nothing against him. The electrical fault had been responsible for the blaze.
Although investigators from the Lawrence Fire Department attempted to determine the cause of the blaze last week, they found the source of the fire had not yet been found.
CARPET In the hallway still needs to be
remained at the end of the hall must
be rearranged.
"The hall is fairly livable except for the one room." Wilson said.
Ken James, McColum assistant resident director, said yesterday that Thanksgiving vacation housing had not been affected by last week's blaze which began the day the fire was reported to have caused the rooms affected by the fire had not been intended for temporary housing use.
The major work to rebuild the damaged room probably will not begin for several months.
The two residents of the room, Clifton J. Edwards, Aurora, Colo., freshman, and Gerald F. Feagles, Basehor sophomore, and Robert S. Tavon, College until their old room can be repaired. Columbium
He said that he did not know exactly how the loan arrangements were made and that any further information would have to be released by the Endowment Association.
SEYMOUR SAID that investments would have to be switched around, but that there would be no problem in getting the money to the KUAC.
Walker also said that KUAC did not secure a loan from another lending institution because current loans from the Endowment Association stipulated that KUAC receive a waiver before borrowing from another source.
Dick Porto, Endowment Association treasurer, said the money for the loan would be used to purchase new equipment.
"We have assets coming in all the time, some from maturities of various investments, and we'll look at our assets and earmark the money," Porto said.
The original $2-million proposal was reduced to $1.8 million by eliminating a proposed expansion of the Victory Club, a game facility for Williams Educational Fund contributors; VP seating; and a wall around the south end of the stadium.
Student opposition to the original $2-million proposal surfaced when a petition bearing 2,500 signatures that opposed parts of the project was presented to the Student Senate.
The petition was included in a Senate resolution, which was passed two weeks ago, opposing parts of the renovation plan necessary student financing of the project.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN-
Capsules From the Associated Press, United Press International
Sadat plans Mideast peace talks
Rhodesian blacks to meet Smith
SALIBURY, Rhodesia-Moderate black political leaders in Rhodesia have accepted an offer from Prime Minister Ian Smith to talk this week about racial discrimination.
CAIRO-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said yesterday that he was "forgiving toward a comprehensive Mideast settlement at Geneva" even if the Arab world disagreed with him. Formal invitations to a pre-Geneva peace meeting were announced by Sadat said the meeting could start as early next Saturday. See story page two.
In a surprise statement last week, Smith made the offer and pledged himself to elections with universal suffrage in Rhodesia. Smith has not ruled out participation in talks by the guerrilla Patriotic Front, but guerrilla leader Joshaun Mishissed Smith's offer as a play to win time for the white-minority government.
Carter assesses energy program
CAMP DAVID, Md.-President Jimmy Carter intends to leave after Christmas on a foreign trip and is looking for signs that Congress will complete an acceptable energy program by then, Jody Powell, White House press secretary, said yesterday. The House and Senate return this week after a Thanksgiving vacation.
Powell also said administration officials were still consulting with parties to the Geneva conference on the Middle East about to accept Egyptian President Osama Sadat's invitation to a preparatory conference in Cairo.
Carter
Mediators intervene in coal talks
Miller
WASHINGTON—Federal mediators yesterday were called into coal industry contract talks that collapsed Friday. The mediators immediately scheduled more talks for tomorrow.
Each side has accused the other of bad-faith bargaining, and Arnold Miller, president of the United Mine Workers, walked out Friday. Federal mediators indicated little hope for averting a nationwide coal strike set for Dec. 6.
Man arrested in Omaha shootings
OMAHA—Police arrested early yesterday Cribbes, a 32-year-old disabled Vietnam veteran, about five hours after a shooting at the Club 89 in which an off-duty sheriff's officer was killed and 26 persons were wounded. A well-dressed man casually walked into the club, which was crowded with people. The officer, who said no one saw the shotgun until the man opened fire. They said many of the patrons apparently believed at first that the shooting was part of the act.
Locally...
More than a few eyebrows will be raised when fans take a look at the starting lineup in the Jayhawks' opening basketball game against Central Missouri State University. Coach Ted Owens he will start Wilmore Fowler, Hasan Houston, Brad Sanders, Ken Koesen and Paul Mokeki. Absent from the startlers will be the likes of All-America candidate John Douglas and three-year starter Clint Johnson. See story page seven.