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Thursday, November 10, 1977
University Daily Kansan
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Comment
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent only the views of the writers.
Watson deserves funds
The fiscal plight of Watson Library surface again last week when James Bibb, state budget director, slashed a library request from the proposed University budget.
The University originally requested $1,008,227 for library renovations during fiscal 1979. The Kansas Board of Regents offered $100,000, and Bibb did away with it entirely.
It is difficult to imagine anything at the University that deserves funds more than its library system. It also is difficult to justify Bibb took to the renovation money request.
Bibb does have his annual charade to play in the state's budget process. He inevitably plays devil's advocate by trimming or eliminating funding requests, leaving a decision to the governor on whether to restore the money. No one is ever really surprised when Bibb reduces a funding request.
THE WATSON CUT, however, was conspicuously unfortunate. Completely axing the request ignored the fact that the University simply must have more money if it is to bring its library system into the 20th century.
Jim Ranz, dean of libraries, said the $100,000 was requested for ways to speed up cataloging the books. Loss of that money, he
said, man mean that the University will not it be easy to up with all of the books that it needs each year.
Worst of all, Watson already has a backlog of 300,000 volumes in storage. These books are incompletely cataloged and not available to the public.
Ranz also warned, "We would have to buy fewer books and cut the number of hours the libraries are open." The point about the hours is especially telling; the 86 hours a week that University schools are now open rank a distal sixth among Big Eight universities.
THE TIME HAS COME for state officials like Bibb to admit that funding of Watson Library has been woefully inadequate to the point of being disgraceful. A library system is directly related to any university's high, low, or average quality of education. When libraries are slighted, academic excellence suffers as a result.
The Kansan hopes Gov. Robert Bennett will have the wisdom to restore the Watson request and that the state legislature will approve it. The Watson improvements are a huge job, but work on them must be started as soon as possible. The $100,000 is only the starting point; the governor and legislature should consider it a bare minimum on which to build an allocation that matches the dire situation.
Groundwork for justice established by reporters
Two men have been convicted in Phoenix, found guilty of first degree murder and conspiracy to kill a police officer Bolles, an investigative reporter, died last June after his car was blown up by a man who had been arrested.
A jury of eight men and four women heard extended testimony from 91 witnesses in the case. After the verdict was announced, prosecutors said they had been given evidence, believing that they have evidence that could lead to the conviction of more people.
Bolles' death was the result of his investigations into organized crime in Arizona, an influence that had been rumored to stretch into the business and political affairs of the state. After Bolled died, a group of investigators reported on his arrest and an investigation descended on Phoenix to finish the work he had started.
It might seem to the observer that the legal process has
THESE REPORTERS published their findings in many newspapers last spring in a series of articles that came to be known as "Project." Although the reports turned up evidence of underworld influence in many high places, no arrests came out of the journalists' labor. It might seem to the observer
Lynn Kirkman
Editorial Writer
proved itself more effective than the reportorial method — the sword may seem to be mightier than the pen. A jury has apparently succeeded where the reporter failed, and has been successful for the death of Don Boles. He was brought to justice.
However, it is probably not quite that simple. If the investigative reporters' work indicated anything, it was that the bosses of organized crime have deep and widespread influence in the affairs of the state of Arizona. Authorities in the city of Tulsa had doubts, been aware of this influence for some time.
THESE SAME authorities have also chosen, apparently, to close their eyes, or at least look the other way, and avoid seeing the corruption that is going on around them. The death of Bolle might have been just one more bullet, but no umbrella had umbrella if it had not been for the journalists who decided to carry on with his work.
Because the make-up of the reporters' group was national,
their work was reprinted in papers that might have looked on Bolles' death as an Anzibia story, too far removed to the real-life events of Maine or Montana. Their concern and efforts made a national case out of what may have been mistakenly considered a local story and history, not on the happenings in Arizona.
IF THE investigation continues from the legal standpoint, it will surely be due, at least in part, to the work of these reporters. This is not to underestimate the value of the prosecuting attorneys who worked hard to build their case against the abusive scientistiously deliberated the verdict. It could have been easy for them to take on a system that is dishonest at its core and is threatening the workings of justice. But their efforts were certainly bolstered by the knowledge that many were interested in the case and were watching to see the outcome.
Investigative reporters cannot and should not replace the courts system. But, at least in this case, the press made a motion by providing a climate in which justice could be done.
Remember this weekend? The one you marked on your calendar a month ago as the weekend you were going to read "Don Quixote" for intro to Novel or write that 20-cap philosophy paper? Well forget it.
Holiday breaks tempt goof-offs
Tomorrow we have been blessed with a reprieve from classes (isn't Veterans Day two weeks after Columbus Day?). But if it is anything like the three-day wonders of the past, you'd be better off planning to spend your day sleeping late or wasting the day away in a record shop or clothing store. Because as holidays go, we need to onto the weekend is not conducive to compulsory deeds great and small.
enough time to see you cousin in Dallas. Three days are too short truck out to Colorado for skiing (perhaps Mount Blue is more reasonable, but it not open yet).
Dave Johnson
Editorial Writer
IF ONE IS within 300 miles of home, a trip there is not out of the question. But after Mom shucks two bags of laundry from the kitchen and takes her aid in putting up a basketball goal and your hometown friends convince you to stop at the high school watering hole, you're left with just enough time to gasp at the view of the campus. You've breezed through home in less
So you're left with the tempting prospect of laying in with a stack of books, a pet of coffee and, with all good intentions, sluggaging away at a semester's worth of procrastination. But the work is done. Here's what usually happens:
time than Grandma can chuck you on the chin and wonder how you've been.
12:30 a.m. Friday: Well, I parted
tonight but I just'll set the alarm for 8:30.
That'll give me an early start on my
homework.
13: 10 a.m. Friday; Oh my God! How could I have overtaken? I'm sure glad that I don't have classes today. I just'll eat breakfast and start on my homework.
12:30 p.m. Friday: Boy, I'm so stiff,
I'm going to have to get some exercise
before I start this book. I'll give Murdahl
a call and see if he wants to play tennis.
WHILE THE DECLARE NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE, A CRACK TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL TROUBLE SHODDER ARRIVES ON THE SCENE.
4:30 p.m. Friday: I sure needed that even though I shouldn't have spent so much time playing tennis. I'm just glum and I'm probably not going homework done or I'd really be in trouble. Now I've got enough time to read a book and then Quixote's before my data with Flosses at 7.
6:30 p.m. Friday: Hmmm. What. I must have fallen asleep. What time is it? Ski thirty! 'I'd better jump in the shower and head over to Flossy.'
11 a.m. Saturday; I don't believe it. I almost got up on time for a change. I think I'll skip breakfast and jump right into "Quixote."
12:30 p.m. Saturday; Well, I've got 40 pages read. I'll call up John and see if he wants to listen to the football game with me.
1:30 p.m. Saturday; John, Chuck,
Gary, Phil, what's been happening?
He'll go out and buy a case of beer and
something the 'Hawks get trumped by
Nebraska.
2 a.m. Saturday; Ooh gee, I draank not much at Flossy's. I'll set my alarm for 10:30. If dlg in right after breakfast and I want to go back, should have "Quixote" read by tonight.
4:30 p.m. Saturday: Hey guys, thanks for corinn' over. I'll see you at the Dewdron about 8:30.
It doesn't look as though I'm going to get much done tonight. I'll eat dinner, take a shower and read a bit before I meet the guys at the Dewdrop.
2:30 a.m. Sunday: It's two-thirty, Well,
I'm not setin' my alarm. Nobody sets
their alarm on Sunday.
Noon Sunday: I guess I won't get "Quixote" read after all. Maybe I can just skim it.
1:30 p.m. Sunday. I'll just watch a bit of the Tampa Bay game while I'm skimming.
Well, this weekend might have been a wipeout but Thanksgiving is coming up. I will try to write it for you and write my term paper on Wednesday, start huckleberry Finn on Thursday . . .
5 p.m. Sunday; Now, I'm gonna run off the set for good tonight and get this book read. Just as soon as I eat dinner.
Perspective lacking on energy problems
By MICHAEL GONZALEZ
N.V. Times Features
10:30 p.m. Sunday; Oh! I got to go to bed. This weekend has been a rough one. but it was all lost I did get the first 100 minutes of class. Then I got 543 more to read before Thursday.
AT LEAST three threats could exist—the present cartel of the oil exporting countries,
By RICHARD L. GORDON
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Two distressing aspects in public discussion of the current energy debate are the uncritical acceptance President Jimmy Carter's proposals have received and the dismissal of issues as more interest groups.
The difficulty begins with poor articulation of policy goals. We are told it is bad to import but not given justifications to translate the policy imports into concrete policy.
The record is amply clear that the President's energy program was hastily assembled by advisers who were unfamiliar with the issues and loath to consult widely on the subject. The result was a badly flawed program.
an impending depletion of foreign oil, the danger of more oil boycotts.
The optimal policy depends upon the exact degree, if any, to which these dangers are real. It is important to resolve of these questions but it seems useful to propose some interpretations to illustrate possible errors that the optimal agendum may have inspired.
Were our only problem the cartel, the obvious response is to introduce subsidies that involves unleashing domestic energy producers and creating a less favorable climate for the region. The United States Exporting Countries (OPEC).
INSTEAD OF proposing more disastrous bargaining over oil prices, we should insist that oil prices are best determined in the market and encourage our oil companies to bargain aggressively for cheaper oil.
Cartels have historically been very vulnerable to such tactics. Fear that others will break ranks often tempts cartel members to join the partners before someone dies. Does this not may not work with OPEC, seeking to induce price cuts is a more promising tactic than. say, more at North-South dialogues.
If long-term exhaustion is the problem, stress should be on research and development of new energy sources. If we worry about blackmail, we probably ought to emphasize stockpiling more and import-reduction less. The historical importance of boycotts have been short because money is valued more highly than the so-called sacred Arab cause.
WHATEVER THE truth of this analysis, there are some clear errors in the thinking on energy of the President and
The support of price controls (that is, lesser incentives to production) on oil and gas is by definition inconsistent with an all-out effort to lower imports. The government and gas are our cleanest fuels from both a production and consumption viewpoint.
Punk rock blown out of proportion
To the editor:
In response to the article on punk rock: It was fairly accurate, as the past 100 articles on the topic I've read have been. What I object to is the fact that articles describing "the terrors and perversions" of punk rock are ever written.
Punk rock (the name is truly ridiculous; it was a term cained by an English journalist, and the first rock 'n' roll we can be
some elements of the press. It makes absolutely no sense for an anti-import/pro-environment energy policy to retain price controls on oil and gas and delay leasing of offshore areas thought to contain oil and gas. This is particularly true when we are moving to allow implemen- tation of natural gas in Alaska and promoting an expensive program of coal conversion.
KANSAN
Letters
excited about since the riotous days of 1968, when the British invaded America. The media, however, are slowly but surely sucking every credible drop out of the punk rock scene. Everything is being blower completely out of proportion. If an English teenager gets into a fight with another one who may be a "punk," the papers the isolated incident and develop an entire "pung克 war" around it. They are calling everyone
The punk rock scene was spawned by bored English, American Irish and French musicians. He and the said state of rock 'n' roll. Superstars such as the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Floyd Hayes had lost touch with their respective music and were living in million-dollar
punks, including Elvis Presley and Mozart.
mansions. They had been dominating the rock 'n' roll scene for too many years, and it wasn't until recently that I started basics. After all, this was young people's music. Thirty-year-olds didn't belong there, and as far as the new bands are warranted, are to be made obsolete.
The press is capitalizing on the scene at the expense of the scene itself. The time has arrived where the press should butt out and let this pure form of rock 'n' roll survive on its own. A new anarchist as Rick Theorem thinks, then a fad it will be. Let it find out for itself. A little anarchy never hurt anyone.
Scott Epstein
St. Louis sophomore
Doug Gentle
Olase sophomore
$500 tickets Walker's hope
The Kansan sent Sam Sideline to interview University of Kansas Athletic Director Clyde Walker yesterday about the recently proposed rise in the price of football tickets.
To the editor:
"Mr. Walker, you've done a lot for KU athletics." Sideline said, "but this planned rise to $9.25 for single game tickets
and $23 for student season tickets just isn't right."
"I agree totally," Walker said.
THE FIGHT for price control makes a mockery of the claims of the urgency of the energy crisis. We are, in effect, arguing that the urgency is so limited that we can afford to sacrifice billions of dollars to propitute dubious fears about windfall profits.
"What?"
"We've done some research," Walker said, "and we'd lose too many buyers to make any money with that
"No. For just one game," Walker said. "Naturally students will still get a big discount. For $500 they can see every game for an entire season."
Sideline was stunned. "You you mean for some sort of lifetime ticket, don't you?" Sideline stammered.
"So," he said, "we've decided to raise the price to $500."
He continued, "Of course a lot of people will decide not to buy, but enough will buy for us to make much more money at that."
"Hm ... that seems to make sense," Sideline said. "But what makes you think people need money in kind of money to see KU play?"
"That's not hard," Walker said, leaning back contentedly. "We'll just use some of the extra money to buy new cars and color TVs for our good recruits."
"Say," Walker said, suddenly eying the reporter suspiciously. "This is off the record, isn't it?"
"Well, maybe," Sideline said.
"But what I want to know is whether the Olahamas or
USCs continue to buy their prospects more and more expensive cars and TVs."
"Exactly."
"So where will these price rises all lead to?" asked Sideline.
"We're way ahead of you, Sam. Our research shows that the next rise will be to $5,000 a ticket," Walker said.
"Holy Rollin' Nolan!" Sideline exclaimed. "That's a lot. What about student tickets?"
"What student tickets?"
Carbondale, Ill., graduate student
Zealots, apes share ancestry
To the editor:
Students on the street and a newspaper calling itself Today's Student are again keen to learn, even a scientist and a monkey is so vast that only special creation could account for it. In my opinion, the reasoning may be brilliant scientific. But if we consider the difference between the thought processes of the apes and the minds of religious creatures, this statement is insufficient for evolution is strengthened.
Natural selection provides for unlucky as well as lucky accidents.
James D. Bono
Lancaster graduate student
Numerous defects exist in the windfall profit argument. Not the least is the question of whether consumers, in general, will be better off with unregulated oil and gas or with subsidized use of higher-price alternatives such as Alaska gas. The cost of subsidy servalion measures of unknown cost effectiveness.
IT IS ALSO quite unclear what the net income distribution effects of price decontrol would be. Controls imply the need for the good government, and there is good reason to fear that the politically powerful rather than the most deserving will get access. Given the existing federal and state tax systems, it might better them, many of the excess profits could be taxed away.
Moreover, no one who has observed the existing controls can fail to note that the burden
of administering regulations is another offset to the dubious benefits of regulation.
The case for faster oil and gas leasing is even clearer; the U.S. government shows that the bids on such leases are high enough so that the United States government captures most of the excess
THE PRESIDENT's treatment of oil and gas then is not a courageous fight against interest groups but rather capitation to even ruthless interorgan groups that profit from about a windfall profits than about a sound energy policy.
Moreover, it is patent nonsense to argue that the alternatives to oil and gas are less risky to develop. For example, my own effort to determine the basis for the President's energy coal conversion program in anticipation of future volves far more risks than promoting oil and gas production.
Very little is known about the economics of coal conversion, and the supporting documents issued by the White House suggest that coal barriers to coal production and use that the rest of the administration was promoting. We have the Clean Air amendments that preclude using low sulfur coal as a way to meet air pollution goals. The Mine Bill and a continued moratorium on coal leasing.
In short, the energy issues facing the country are more complex than the administration seems to haveMore attention to current positions exist than have been reported. Thus, a great need arises for a broader discussion than we have yet had.
Richard L. Gordon is professor of mineral economics at Pennsylvania State University.
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