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Monday, April 9,1973
University Daily Kansan
KANSAN comment
Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
Local Rape Rate
Crime is down in Lawrence, according to recently compiled statistics, as it is generally in the rest of the country.
Lawrence police report that from 1971 to 1972 overall crime here decreased 4.4 per cent. This figure compares favorably to the average increase in crime within the size of law enforcement which report a 1.9 crime increase of 1 per cent.
Lawrence police attribute the increase in rapes to several factors. L. Vernon Harrell of the Lawrence Police Department's administrative division said last week that one man committed 11 of 26 rapes reported by police. The man was convicted and was now serving a sentence.
The news about Lawrence is not all good, however. Lawrence police also report an increase in rapes of 271 per cent. Across the nation, however, the number of reported rapes increased by an average of 26 per cent for towns of this size. Lawrence's 271 per cent increase should be a starting trouble signal to the citizens of Lawrence.
Harrell suggested that the abolition last summer of the death penalty could have lessened rapists' fears of punishment, and thus encouraged them to commit crimes more freely. He also said that crime was sometimes an indirect result of new freedom gained through activism, such as by the Indians at Haskell Indian Junior College. "They want to attend more taverns," he said. "They've often been drinking when they commit a crime."
These seemingly simplistic explanations by a policeman for a complex and frightening issue indicate a need for an intense indication of danger. In the conditions that allow rape to occur so frequently in Lawrence.
Harrell said the overall decrease in crime was probably a result of 20 percent increase in homicide.
force. Lawrence now has 4.1 policemen to each square mile compared to 3.5 in 1971.
Unfortunately, the addition of policemen has not seemed to control rapes. In 1970, four raps were reported in Lawrence; in 1971, seven were reported. The rise to 26 in 1972 must indicate major flaws in local methods of dealing with rape. Increasing the number of patrol cars and policemen may never control rapists. Harrell pointed out that the police were now attached to awaited women in their homes, away from the eyes of policemen, and attacked them before they could even see his face.
There undoubtedly has been an increase in the reporting of rapes, which could partially distort the 1972 increase figure. A stigma attached to a woman who has been raped must not be allowed, because of women's liberation's discouragement of such unfair judgments. In the past, the woman who was raped often chose to remain silent so as not to risk the embarrassment of reporting the incident to the police. A new University of Kansas service now encourages rape reports that had been raped to report it, and offers counsel to help her cope with the problems that ensue.
Of course, many rapes still go unreported. The actual number of rapes in 1972 would probably be shocking. Many which go unreported in the newspapers, occur on the University of Kansas campus.
Statistics are often boring and meaningless. But few people should yawn through Lawrence's 1972 rapa statistics. It is now up to the Lawrence police force and the community to determine the importance of a statistic. Every resource available should be tapped to reverse the upward trend in rapes and to bring crime in Lawrence under control.
—Barbara Spurlock
- Readers Respond
To the Editor:
Tau Sigma
Because of the failure of a review to appear in Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday's Kansan, I became indignant enough to write this letter. On March 30 and 31, the Tau Sigma Dance Club presented their 49th annual dance concert to full attendance. Our concert was I am disturbed that no review of our concert was given.
Tat Sigma is an active, student organization whose members direct their energies to creative projects. Ms. Concert's concert is the highlight of our season. I find it insulting that no member of the Kansan staff was present to review our work. It would be nice for organization that managed to be
active for 49 years in the area of dance entertainment would garner some kind of performance respect, at least on campus.
I hope that next year, when Tau Sigma presents its 50th annual concert, the Kansan will deem the event distinguished enough to give us a critical review of performance, good or bad.
Ken Harton
Iola, Junior
Tennis Courts
To the Editor:
but in the fact that there are probably 50 times more players than there are available courts of play, the university of KU's size has nearly five times the number of courts we have, so one can understand a little better how the coach is positioned at the courts at Allen Field House.
Perhaps the students and faculty at KU, when they attempt to get on a tennis court at Allen Field House, do not realize that you are a varsity player nor not lie in the men's variety team's regular use of the courts
Write to your legislators if you want to. Tell the athletic department that KU needs more tennis courts so when we host a game, we switch courts from Robinson to Allen Field House and back again. This hurt the overall quality of the match. Don't gripe at the team or coach for making mistakes, use of the courts they do have.
Shawnee Mission Sophomore
Sheryl Wright
WASHINGTON - An astonishing 90 per cent of the cost of keeping South Vietnam's President Thieu in power for the past decade, was up by the U.S. Taxpayers, according to an unpublished study
U.S. Taxpayers Sustain Thieu
Jack Anderson
instance, South Vietnam reported revenue of about $450 million. But the center claims $110 million of US military presence in Vietnam through import and currency subsidies, takes on U.S. activities and other costs.
What's more, there's no indication that the burden will be a lighter in 1973 despite the end of the war.
The grim statistics have been put together from official figures by the Indochina Resource Center, a private research group, which has been keeping close ties with Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
The 90 per cent figure, according to the center, is the actual measure of U.S. support, not the actual amount of U.S. support of Vietnam's budget. In 1972, for
In other words, South Vietnam raised only $140 million for its own superb government generated $55 million simply by printing more money and transferring it in non-American aid.
Against this pittance, the U.S. taxpayers pay a staggering $2.5 billion in South Vietnam. In a new report, the center asks: "Would the American people wish to pay $2.5 billion to support the government of Brazil each year?" Would we pay that amount at such a level? Then why is any
The administration is "deceiving the Congress," charges the draft report, "into funding an indefinite and uncontrollable foreign investment in an impossible dream of remaking Vietnam into a Western image."
single one worth this investment?"
While lauding some U.S. health programs in Vietnam, the report claims American agricultural aid has failed so badly that small farmers may soon be gulped up by Asian agri-business. It recurrently fails a virtual end to U.S. aid except for genuine humanitarian purposes.
The administration disagrees with the 90 per cent figure and estimates U.S. support at 47 to 51 per cent of the cost of maintaining the Saigon regime. Estimates by the General Accounting Office have ranged to a high of 80 per cent.
While civilian housewives are boycotting meat this week, the military brass are feasting as on sale on bargains. This is our conclusion from a survey of military dining rooms and commissaries in the washington area.
Sunday dinner at Ft. Meyer, near the Pentagon, for example, was a splendid affair. Civilian volunteers harns and turkeys, plus 10 huge steamship rounds of beef, for some 800 officers and their
In addition, the officers gorged themselves on seafood delicacies, including sturgeon and seafood Normandy, fried chicken, a dozen different salads, vegetables and potatoes as well as desserts. He was also offered for anyone claiming a birthday or anniversary.
A huge ice sculpture of a horse
dominated the buffet.The price : $3.75 for all you could eat. And the military, as a rule, eat heartily.
Meanwhile back at the Pentagon, the top brass this week continued to dine at bargain prices while thousands of lesser Pentagon employees resorted to brown-bagging their lunch. The best meat still is offered at the Pentagon and is served where each day dozens of ranking generals and top civilians dine royally for a dollar.
For their own tables, military families have traditionally purchased food at wholesale prices. The U.S. government's country report that business is brisk. Total sales over the last six weeks in the Washington area, for example, were up 21 percent from last year to the first six weeks of this year.
Some commissaries report that beef sales were off last week. Others, however, say they can't meet the demand. Some military wives, to avoid rising wholesale prices, are demanding whole portions of beef from commissaries for their home freezers.
Last week, we compared commissary prices with those at a nearby food store. Despite the high prices, housewives continue to save well over 20 per cent on commissary groceries. Some military housewives are being food at three or four years ago.
Here are some of the better bargains found at a local commissary last week: three pounds for $13.65, one commissary $13.15; Giant $0.79; Big Apple $8.85, vs. $10.99; Lettuce—25 cents vs. 45 cents; three apples—24 cents vs. 45 cents; Grade-A eggs—54 cents vs. 75 cents; half-gallon milk—42 cents; juice—54 ounces; juice—43 cents vs. 57 cents.
For lowly enlisted men, such bargains are needed to keep a family healthy. But for the general, who sends his GI servant to work on the farm in this shopping, the bargains amount to one more privilege of rank.
James J. Kilpatrick
Copyright, 1973, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
Tax Loopholes Have Two Sides
WASHINGTON — Some time between now and next Sunday night, my wife and I will sign a sheet of tax forms, write out a tax form for our Revenue Service and the Treasurer of Rappahannock County, Va., and we will both ouch, which is a modest four-room apartment in the same households the same spring rites will be observed.
Because I want to say some contrary things on this business of tax reform, a personal disclaimer may be in order. I am not involved in capital gains. We own positively no municipal bonds or oil wells. There isn't a tax payment, state and federal, will represent roughly half of my net income for 1972. Every year, when the computer gets to my return, a scoreboard lights up
with a gleeful message: Hello, sucker.
So much for the disclaimer.
Walter Mondale, a senator from Minnesota, popped off the other
fames J. Kilpatrick
To the typical apostle of tax reform-Phill Stern, for one example—this is all wrong. It is "welfare for the rich." The Treasury is losing $2.5 billion a year in taxes it could be collecting on the bond interest, Stern says. He proposed that American
paid $2 million in income taxes last year but who would have paid twice as much if it hadn't been for capital gains. Wallace also talked with a Palm Beach, Fla., millionaire, who paid no taxes last year on $5,000 interest on municipal bonds.
rys Say, 'Buy Meat, Not Alcohol'
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
day on this matter of loopholes in the tax law. He had obtained some figures from the IRS, indicating that 276 Americans who had incomes of more than $100,000 in 1971 paid no federal income tax. The senator called the situation absolutely unequal and undolerable, and demanded that they be closed. His statement won him a nice four-column headline in the morning Post.
asks the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council to appoint a special committee to make the recommendations to the legislature. The resolution would direct the committee to submit its report to the Coordinating Council on or before January 1974, for relay to the legislature.
stitutional amendment, Glover proposes a local option feature, under which the voters of a county, city or township could determine whether lotteries and the sale of lottery tickets would be enforced or legalized within the boundaries of that governmental unit.
Meanwhile, the CBS "60 Minutes" show took a look at these same loopholes. Reporter Renee Riggs of the millionaire H. Ross Petro, who
An All-American college newspaper
His marijuana study proposal
Under the proposed con-
Published at the University of Kawaiyama during the academic year except for examinations and exam papers. All payment is made via postal mail paid at Lawrence, KA9 4048. Accommodation, goods, services and employment advertised offered to all students without charge are based on their origin. Ongrinds expressed are not necessarily hoose of the University of Kawaiyama.
TOPEKA, KM. (AP) -In a two week, bill boards across Kansas may proclaim: "Buy Beef, Feed better. Feel better and Save Money."
NEWS STAFF
News Adviser . . . Susanne Shaw
The message is the brain child of the Rev. Richard E. Taylor Jr., Topeka, executive secretary of the Kansas United Dr. Egges.
The other calls for a special legislative study of the uses, abuses, and feasibility of possession and use of Mariquina.
lottery tickets are prohibited.
The proposed amendment was one of two resolutions introduced by Glover.
Joyce Neerman Sally Carlson
The Rev. Mr. Taylor, a United Methodist minister who lobbs in the Kansas Legislature against the governor, opposes the current meat bevoct
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Adviser . . . Mel Adams
The amount proposed by Glover would replace the present constitutional language which says that lotteries and the sale of
He said a billboard on Interstate 70 near downtown Topeka would proclaim the drys message startling Friday, and the stadium stands are planned for Wichita, Emporia, Dodge City and Liberal.
Carol Dirka Chuck Goodsell
Member Associated Collegiate Press
The billboarders are being rented for 30 days, the Rev. Mr. Taylor got people who will rent the posters and just provide the posters," he said.
"It's saying 'let's get our priorities straight.'"
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A proposed constitutional amendment to give the state legislature the power to limit, prohibit, regulate, license and tax loteries was introduced Thursday in the Kansas House by Rep. Michael Glover, R-Lawrence.
Glover Speaks
By Sokoloff
Griff and the Unicorn
cities, which now issue tax-exempt bonds at, say, 4 per cent, be required hereafter to issue fully taxable bonds. These would make up the difference with a Federal subsidy. The Palm Beach millionaire would get hooked, the Treasury would benefit, and justice would tough. Stern made it sound easy.
The trouble is that much of this glib talk of closing loopholes has no more substance than an April breeze. Some reforms are indeed good, but the simplification for the taxpayer in middle-income brackets, but the public intelligence is insulted by suggestions that there's some easy road to the New Jerusalem tax reform. There's no such road.
The tax exemption on municipal bonds, so I am told, dates from the very beginning of a federal income tax. The idea was, and is, to benefit the cities (which is to say, the people who live in the cities and pay real estate taxes) by keeping bond interest costs low. The system hath been better. But the attractiveness of the tax-exempt feature, municipalities have been able to market billions of dollars in bonds. This is how we build city halls and schools.
Now, suppose the critics prevail, and the system is abolished. An amendment to the Federal Tax Code, making such politically taxable, could not punish bonds issued. The Palm Beach millionaire wouldn't get clipped at all. Stern's proposal could apply only to future bonds. What then? The wealthy individual who would have invested in municipal bonds would get $8,000 instead of the $4,000 he would have had at 4 percent. If he's then taxed at a 50 per cent rate, he still has the $4,000 he would have had to begin with. It sounds like soo costly, but Costello, or the Marx Brothers got the races.
If the reformers fiddle much more with oil depletion, they will discourage the exploration we have been doing, double the taxes of an H. Ross Petroleum much private capital remains for investment in jobs and machinery. The loopholes, in brief, may not be so awful after all, but they harm, without prayerful thought, could make matters worse.
(C) 1973 Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.