4
Thursday, May 4, 1972
University Daily Kansan
James J. Kilpatrick
KANSAN comment Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
Who Lacks Courage?
Letters to the editor often seem to have a certain kind of relationship to one another even though they come from a curious mixture of people.
I imagine most letters-to-the-editor writers' work can be traced back to a first letter that was introduced by the editor written to an editor before, but I felt compelled to comment on this particular issue ..."
Once you have seen your ideas in print on one issue, it is hard to refrain from continuing to comment on the next major controversy that comes along. So these writers continue to use a certain phrase awhile, they gain a certain amount of notoriety for their frequently published opinions.
However, after that first letter is published, the subsequent letters are often written about other letters and often started the dialogue is lost in the flack.
Often the first efforts of a letters to-the-editor writer are prompted by some news event that particularly disturbs him, or some opinion expressed by a columnist or editor with which he strongly disagrees.
A letter is written in response to an issue, then a letter is written in response to the letter, then the first letter writer returns to his typewriter
to answer the charges in the second letter, and then the second writer further assails the first, and on and on it goes.
It can be pretty confusing, but nearly always interesting, and the editors of the Kansan have been working to create such lively readership of this page.
However, there is one kind of letter that we do not appreciate, and justifiably so. I think. Letters to the editor that are not signed will not be printed on this page. Kansan editors believe that if one considers his opinions worthy of publication, he should then have enough courage behind his convictions to endorse them with his signature.
Recently we received one of these anonymous donations. In the envelope were a Xerox copy of a syndicated column with a short note attached. The irony of the note merits its publication. It said: "Dear Mr. Editor, Numbers of your students, in supporting the Cong, know not what they have done. I, therefore challenge you to publish the enclosed column. Have you the courage?"
Who lacks courage is certainly obvious. It is not we.
—Mike Moffet Associate Editor
One
For
The Lobbyists
WASHINGTON—Burke once remarked—or anyhow Carlisle said he once remarked—that the British Parliament was composed of three estates; and the Press made a fourth. Here in Burke's speech, Mr Burke's Burke and raised him by two.
The power structure in these parts, in no particular order of importance, includes the Senate, the House, the White House, the Press, the Bureaucracy and the Lobbies. The first five are often damned, but they are almost as often praised. Of the Sixth Estate, one is a lawyer for a business lady aLOBist is like praising a reference you have to respect talent, but you don't have to respect it much.
So gross an inequity ought to be corrected. Without the effective labor of the lobbies, the machinery of government would collapse like the rooftops of a house. We have laws ten times more stupid and only half as workable as the laws we have now. Someone ought to say a kind word for the poor devils. Someone would use Westbrook Pecker used to design the bottlecap, doorstep or Chinese degree.
I therefore move that First Prize for
the most effective work in 1971 within the Sixth Estate be awarded to—Dr. William A. Shurcliff, director of the Citizens League Against the Sonic Boom. Almost singlehandedly—with some help, to be sure, from Senator Robert F. Kennedy of Wisconsin—Dr. Shurcliff licked the supersonic plane transport plane.
The award is based not on achievement only, but also on what the Pentagon used to call the cost-effectiveness of a building. The organization operate from wall-to-wall suits off Connecticut Avenue, the Citizen's League Against the Sonic Boom, and the Center for Art at study 19 Appleton Street, Cambridge, Mass. The CLASB has no dues; it sells no books. Its total budget, amounting to $78 million last year, is raised by emburtlings from the state.
In taking on the SST, Dr. Shurcliff's pany outfit embarked like David in his match against Golitha. In this town the SST had the support of organized labor, a big business, of bureaucracy and the White House. Just before the key votes in March, proponents of the SST took full-page ads to remind members of Congress of the jobs and payroll that he lost if the project was abandoned.
But on March 17 last year the House voted 215 to 204 against continuing the SST. The Senate concurred a week later by 51 to 46. Something close to a billion dollars' worth of folly gurgled down the drain.
What is the secret of Dr. Shurcliff? Why was his lobby so effective? Every lobbyist, public relations man and press agent could profit from the answer. He followed the rule of Sergeant Friday; he gave us nothing but the facts,'am.am. Dr. Shurcliff is a scientist, a physicist attached to the Carmen, an investigator who spent time he spotted some propaganda flying from the proponents' side, he smacked it with a positron going the other way.
Recently he topped off his year's achievements with an orderly little "handbook" for use in 1972. In this "summary of technical and economic arguments" against the supernumeric computer system of the subject can learn, for example, what Professor Paul Samuelson said of the French Concorde on March 11, 1973, at page 211 of certain Senate hearings: He said that aeronautical engineers of his acquaintance "regarded the Concorde as the biggest lemon ever devoured."
The CLASB—it lacks even a cathy acronym — has a job yet to do in opposing commercial operations of the British-French entry in the supersonic stakes. In this contest the League, its officers, and their staffing the whole governments of France and Great Britain. Messrs. Pompidou and Heath should be forewarned: they are matched against a lightweight lobby that packs a prize-winnning clout.
Copyright 1972
Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.
Readers Respond
Dole, Gays, College, Speech.
Dole
To the Editor:
Robert Ward's desperate attempt to justify the inexcusable heckling of Senator Dole stands as just one more example of the political hypocrisy that one encounters oft too often.
It may be that Dole was sarcastic, that he flagrantly criticized the police's speech was antagonistic (though this last excuse standslamely at best—the person who wants to be threatened) and always find a cause for irritation.
But none of this is relevant. What does matter about this kind of dismal display is that it makes a mockery of academic freedom, but it also encourages exchange of ideas. This right was not freely granted to Senator Dole—indeed, his freedom of speech itself was infringed upon, and by students who would surely be pressured at any restriction on theirs.
Those students should do a little self-analysis. If the First Amendment means going to be afraid that they will not demand its protection for themselves, then they acted properly, that if the freedom of speech is one one's ideologicaloes as well as friends—a principle which, if it is practiced, will prevent a repression. In this case, if those which affronted Senate Dolle.
Jim Gugleta Wichita Junior
More Dole
To the Editor:
We would like to compliment Sen. Robert Dole for taking time from his very important job to present our presentation a great deal to enlighten us both as to the nature of the Southeast Asian conflict and the need for peace demonstrators. Never have we seen such a despicable display of close-minded irrationality, was this the case? Despite our status as relative newcomers to the University, we believe that we have as much interest in our work (chronological) elders
The conflict in Southeast Asia is the product of Communist aggression and infiltration. It is no question that if the U.S. had given its support to the signing of the SEATO treaty, all of Southeast Asia would now
be Communist and a quarter of a billion people would be under an oppression far more hideous, if not more insidious, than the current one. We are not the sole holders of this opinion. Four Presidents of this country along with every major leader in Southeast Asia has at least been told about identical belief. The war is still going on because the American people and leadership did not have the moral fiber to prosecute those who have been offered to end this conflict with honor. We support the efforts of the Nixon Administration to bring about a settlement of the war and provide for the South Vietnamese.
Simultaneously we strongly protest the infiltration of twelve thirteen North Vietnamese divisions to a violation of agreement and a complete shun to any attempts to a peaceful solution of this conflict.
This is our own position; we would not have the audacity to presume that it is the correct behavior to shout down and ridicule the holder of an opposing position. The behavior of the peace coalition at the workers lecture was an abashidian. We are ashamed of them.
At the beginning of the lecture, the protestors stood and rudely shouted, "Stop." Didle Little did he expect that he Dole was viewing his most aggressive side.
--Bruce Keplinger
Lenexa sophomore
Boon Pimick
Uysses sophomore
Balfour
Commenting your issue of May 28, my congratulations and respect to Balfour on his gift from GILM to Mary May others follow his example.
-Ronald D. Lewin South America graduate student
To the Editor:
LAS
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for too many years has been under a virtually stranglehold by members of a tenured elite faculty. So these elite these cities are willing to "add to" a curriculum in order to
To the Editor:
appease some factions, but they all but refuse to examine their old curriculum. We feel that a lack of investment by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is part of the curriculum which needs to be re-examined in the light of the 1970s and the needs of today's students.
Reviewing the Liberal Arts and Sciences foreign language requirement, it seems that this language has an unhealthy amount of flaws that make it archaic, ineffective, and even counterproductive.
Consider that sixteen hours is at least a full semester load, and consider the amount of study. Consider the cost of a full semester of school in time and financial aspects, and consider more of applicable learning of more
For many, this requirement represents at least one-eighth of their undergraduate study's goals. For example, disinterested does not strive to learn, one simply just gets by, and doesn't retain his learning. A strong majority will never come to terms with it, regardless of the language what they put into it.
Simply because one is interested in, say, psychology, can become a comparatively worthless study while a business or music major escapes—hardly an equitable state. Hatemper by an out of date college education, unwilling students compete with language majors, developing discouraged and frustrated which may extend to other studies.
Time could be better spent pursuing additional perspective in one's selected field, or a group of students pick up another major with the time he must devote to foreign language. A truly liberal education is most important perspective of one's fellow man. Sixteen hours of Americanized, canned versions of another language will not limit our future experiences never used. More realistic would be a path elective in the diversified LA&S 48 series or an expanded Western Civilization.
Sure, it might be nice, even impressive, to be like the other languages, even off other languages, even dead ones. But there much more to learn today, about everything, and while a crash course might be helpful, multilingual, be more effective and pinpointed, this is
not true of other fields of study. In twenty years, when you on campus in France, a guide book will enable you to use the bathroom is better than your memory.
It's time to update the concept of desire. We need more desire. We need feasible requirements. start gripping. It simply has become a matter of necessity.
-Steve Reeves
-Topeka sophomore
-Skip Kaltenheuser
-Prairie Village sophomore
Coverage
I appreciate the coverage given by the Daily Kanan of my talk, Silence and Creativity, at the Faculty Forum, Thursday, April 27.
I would like to complete the last thought in the Kansan article lest I am misunderstood by readers. I quote: "Those who use drugs and mediate will not be capable of lasting achievement. Heider wrote that his clients need drug use, a great outpouring of creative material appears."
May I add: in early stages of either drug usage or meditation, a material rise to consciousness. In drug language, this process is named tripping or terminating mind dreams "are mazy or illusions. Neither tripping nor maky land anywhere unless tempered by drugs."
There are times to let go and times to take hold again; creativity arises in a person who knows how to do both.
Take a careful look at George Harrison's face in "The Concert for Bangladesh."
John Heider
427 Country Club Court
Amendment
To the Editor:
In response to Ms. Karen Keeling's letter of April 17, two points need to be made. First, between the railroading of an amendment through the state legislature on the basis of arguments that have been baked into the legislation for an investigation of an amendment by way of a detailed analysis of its effects. This analysis should include the hearing of witnesses whether or not such an amendment is desired by the people of Kansas and whether or not desirable under present conditions. These conditions
should include social, culture
and economic conditions, as well
as the legal conditions
that govern Supreme Court decisions.
Passage of the amendment
should be dependent upon present
and possible future realities and
discussion has been issued
1.2.10.20, or 49 years ago.
My second point concerns Ms. Keesling's statement that "there is no precondition of legislation which relates to a physical characteristic unique to one sex." Such reasoning could lead to a Supreme Court decision that Ms. Keesling might find "arbitrary."
Anyway, why should the legislature hurry to ratify an amendment that cannot even go into effect until two years after it is enacted? The amendment was vitally necessary, Congress certainly would not have included a provision that is not found in any other constitution. Constitution. Constitution similar to it is the one-year requirement found in the 18th (Prohibition) Amendment and the 18th amendment has the only one to later be repealed.
For example, the ability to bear children is a physical characteristic unique to women. Children must require that women can only fulfill the child bearing function of society while men will fulfill the provider-protector function). In addition, associations with financial rewards (the equivalent of the provider-protector function), and various Supreme Courts have made based on the 14th Amendment. It is possible that a woman could make such a ruling based on the Equal Rights Amendment. Even if the Court doesn't make such an argument, it well rule that women have no special right to perform both functions at the same time. After all, women are not right to contribute to society and since there are not enough money-paying jobs around why women should contribute in two different ways.
By Sokoloff
One ruling the Supreme Court will most certainly make is that an employer cannot provide free lunch unless equivalent benefits are available for working fathers. The concept of equal pay for equal work should include fringe benefits as well as taxable income.
Keep in mind that the Supreme Court will not even begin to make decisions based on this rule until 1974 or 1975 at the earliest.
Griff and the Unicorn
Renned B. Budas
Hutchinson Graduate Student
-Kenneth B. Lucas
"Copyright 1972, David Sokoloff.
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