University Daily Kansan, April 11, 1985
Page 4
OPINION
The University Daily KANSAN
Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
The University Dalkan Kalanyi, USPS 604-640 is published at the University of Kansas, 181 Staffer Flint Hall. Lawen, Kanok 604-553 daily during the regular school year and Wednesday and Friday during the summer session, excluding Saturday, Sunday, holidays and final periods. Second class postage paid at Lawen, Kanok 6044 Subscriptions by mail are $1 for six months or $1 a month in Douglas County and $1 for six months or $1 a month in Dallas County and $1 for six months or $1 a month in POSTMASTER. Send address changes to the University Dalkan Kalanyi, 181 Staffer Flint Hall. Lawen, Kanok 6045
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Doesn't add up
The mathematicians on campus say that it doesn't add up. The science and technology library, scheduled to open in 1989, could end up housing books that are rarely used by anyone but people in the math department.
According to Charles Himmelberg, chairman of the math department, the issue is of great concern to those who rely on the materials for research.
He said that very few of the journals and books were ever needed by anyone other than math faculty members and graduate students, the people who now have access to them.
But others on campus argue that the books belong in a central location, where everyone who wants to look at them can do so.
Yet, Himmelberg, who conducted a survey among other universities to see how they arranged their reference materials, said that 27 of the 30 top universities in the country housed the mathematics department and its library in the same building.
The books and journals under discussion are nothing that the average student needs access to, and most of the materials are not even used by undergraduate students majoring in math.
But for those doing math research, constantly referring to data and journal articles, the issue is a serious one, significantly affecting their ability to do their work.
The materials should be as accessible as possible to those who use them in their day-to-day research.
It doesn't make much sense to locate all of the materials in the science and technology library under the guise of easier accessibility when nearly all of the people using the materials would rather that the books be in Snow Hall, future home of the math department.
The solution to this mathematical problem is to look at all sides of the issue. Should there be books, journals and periodicals that others outside the math department also use on a regular basis, they should be housed in a location that is accessible to all.
But the math department deserves the right to decide where the remainder of the materials are to be located.
Last-ditch effort
in another one of his patented political maneuvers, President Reagan last week sought to make aid to anti-government rebels fighting the Nicaraguan government palatable to the American public.
The president had been told by congressional Republicans that his proposed $14 million in military aid to the contras was dead in the water.
So the president has tried to wrap himself in the rhetoric of peace, proposing church-mediated talks between the Sandinista government and U.S.-backed contras.
He continued to ask for $14 million to aid the rebels but promised the money would be used only for "humanitarian purposes" as long as the talks continued.
of course, if the talks did not begin by June 1, or if they failed to bring results within 60 days, Reagan reserved the right to convert the aid to military purposes.
Although the president's proposal may structure aid to the rebels differently, the result would be the same — the overthrow of an elected government that enjoys popular support.
If the rebels received $14 million in humanitarian aid, it would free up other resources for them to buy arms. The aid would not be as direct but would amount to the same thing.
And this should be no more acceptable to the Congress or American public than the administration's original aid proposal.
This last-ditch effort to repackage U.S. imperialism and aggression in a strife-torn region should be recognized for what it is, and rejected.
The president is using a heavy dose of Orwellian "double-speak" when he announces a peace proposal that would continue to finance the killing of innocent people in the name of democracy.
The time has come for Congress and the American people to say "no more."
The University Daily Kansan welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be typewritten and double-spaced and should not exceed 300 words. They should include the writer's name, address and phone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University, the letter should include his class and hometown, or faculty or staff position. The Kansan also invites individuals and groups to submit guest columns. Columns and letters can be mailed or brought to the Kansan office, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit or reject letters and columns.
One vote in favor of Youth Wage
As summer break nears, most of us are making plans on how we are going to spend our three months. Some of us will stay on campus taking classes, but the great majority of us will be out earning and saving money for fall.
As college students, employers perceive us as better job risks than high school students and other youths out looking for work. We are, as a group, thought of as more serious, diligent, intelligent, dependable and experienced than our competitors. In a word, more productive.
What this means, of course, is that we will get more of the available jobs while those with fewer marketable skills, especially inner city kids, will be locked out of the market. And, as is always the case come summertime, we will read about the astronomical unemployment rate among teen-agers, especially minorities. People will complain, but nothing will be done to solve the problem effectively.
government is to blame for a large share of problem. Since passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, many people with nothing to sell
Undoubtedly there are many factors that contribute to the high rate of unemployment among the young, but there is a growing consensus that the
BRYAN DANIEL
Staff Columnist
other than their own cheap labor have been legally prevented from gaining employment. The barrier for most is the government-imposed minimum wage.
From the perspective of the
The fundamental flaw of the minimum wage, as Walter Williams explains in "The State Against Blacks," is that although the state can regulate the minimum price of labor, it cannot require firms to hire anyone. So to the extent that the minimum wage exceeds the productivity of some workers, firms will adjust their use of labor accordingly.
employer, this makes perfect sense. In order to hire a new worker he has to invest money in training the individual, as well contribute to a workers' compensation fund and the Social Security system. But for all his responsibilities, the temporary — especially if the student is hired only for the summer
Consequently, those whose productivity is less than the minimum rate, mainly inner-city teenagers, must do a lot of jobs, primarily college-aged youths, not only have a job, but they get paid more to boot.
Fortunately, help is on the way in the guise of the Week Opportunity Wage Proposal. As proposed it will apply only to youths 19 and under, from May 1 to September 30. It will employ 25 per hour without all the paper work required of other government job programs.
The AFL-CIO, the primary opponent of the proposal, has denounced the plan, claiming that it takes away jobs from union workers, and gives them to younger, non-union ones. In fact, the proposal overcomes most of
the reservations expressed by big labor.
There is no good reason not to enact this proposal. According to a study by Daniel Hammermes, economist at Michigan State University, approximately 250,000 new jobs will be created; others calculate that 450,000 new jobs is a better estimate, with two-thirds of them opening in firms other than eating and drinking establishments.
Current employees' jobs are safe-guarded: Employers who discharge, transfer or demote workers for the purpose of hiring youths will be subject to injunctions, fines, payment of back wages and even imprisonment. Even youths who already have jobs will be protected.
The real benefits, however, cannot be expressed in numbers. Youths with summer jobs will gain valuable skills and experience, a sense of personal responsibility.
Summer is rapidly approaching, thus time for action is short. This is one issue that deserves congressional attention. A vote for the Youth Wage is a vote for equal economic opportunity for all.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the editor:
It was not an easy decision to write this letter I am frustrated by repeated incidents at my establishment involving certain members of the KU football team.
I was summoned to our parking lot last Friday night by an uninviled patron who witnessed the severe beating of an individual by several football players out in the lot. The odds were 12-to-2.
Evidently words were traded, and an altercation resulted just as this patron drove up. One of the players, running to the aid of his numerous buddies, jumped over the patron's ear by running across and damaging the hood. The patron registered disbelief and was challenged to fight by this huge player. By the time I got out into the lot, they had finished their business, and the 10-12 players were piling into two vehicles and shouting obscenities as they drove off. The victim was left bleeding and unconscious on the pavement and remained so until an ambulance arrived.
Police apprehended the players immediately and brought them back for identification. As perfect gentlemen, they claimed innocence. Later comments made to me were along the line of "We must back each other when we team we go through a lot together."
This supposedly innocent "hell-raising" could have resulted in an episode similar to the tragic death, in a fight, that occurred last week at Pogo's in Kansas City. All it would have taken is the victim hitting his head on the pavement as he fell.
I am fed up with the number of times in recent months that we have had to call the police on incidents involving football players. We rarely have any problems with the exception of these. When will these children grow up and realize that their physical size
It's too bad that teamwork means four guys on one who is half their size.
does not give them a license to push people around? Their size is an asset in the pursuit of excel. If you don't know, they are limited to that endeavor only.
The University is very fortunate to have what promises to be a great football program under the ability direction of Coach Gottfried. I would hate to see a fine reputation for my team, but I knew that few could result in tragedy. It is for that reason that I step forward with this letter.
Mike Kirsch owner of Gammon's
Beyond fairness
Mike Kirsch
To the editor:
In the April 2 University Daily Kansas, a letter writer supported Petition 1985-202 to disallow persons who have committed sexual crimes or telones from reprieve in Kansas. This causes us some alarm.
Indeed, we have no desire to condone sexual assaults or felonies. Such are serious. Justice has been sufficient to impose proper penalties.
Would not the Student Senate be acting beyond fairness and its authority when it might decide to add a penalty beyond that imposed by a court? Restrictions can be considered when an indictment is filed or a sentence is being carried out, as the Athletic Department did in the recent case, but when "price is paid" additional punishment is not fair nor reasonable.
More important than punishment in any case is the concern for and possibility of rehabilitation of an offender. Giving one a second chance carries with it a risk, but it is the way allowed in our society.
Justice is important and representing the University an honor. But we ought to be ready to help those who have gone through that justification so that they can once again benefit from all its members.
Don Conrad
Mark Hoehler
pastors at University Lutheran
Chapel and Student Center
I took a scientific public opinion survey at lunch the other day.
Reading, thinking cooking? Be serious
When the waitress brought the check, I said, "Tell me, do you think Jeane Kipatkirch will run for a major public office?"
The waitress stared at me for a moment, then said, "Uh, I, uh, see." I don't know. Uh, who did you say?"
That was my survey. And it proved once again that the average U.S. citizen is level-headed
MIKE ROYKO
Syndicated Columnist
and has a good set of personal priorities. Everywhere but in Washington, D.C.
Now, in Washington that day, it would have been impossible to find anyone who did not have an opinion on whether Kirkpatrick was going to run for public office. They were jabbering about Kirkpatrick and her future in restaurants, elevators, bars, newsrooms, at cocktail parties, in the legendary corridors of power and everywhere else Washingtonians gather to jabber.
It seems as if this has been going on forever. If it isn't Kirkpatrick talking about her plans — or lack of — it's one of her conservative admirers describing her departure as almost a national crisis.
As we all now know, Kirkpatrick has said emphatically that she is not going to run for public office.
This was reflected on the TV screen, where, for months we have been seeing Kirkpatrick being interviewed about her plans or lack of plans.
Instead she is going to read and write and think great thoughts. And she is going to do some gourmet cooking.
We know that because for weeks all she has done is go on television to tell it to Roger Mudd or Phyllis George or anybody else with a microphone or note pad handy.
Listening to George Will, I get the impression that her departure from the Reagan administration is as serious a threat to the nation's well-being as, say, a strike of the beer truck drivers.
And when Kirkpatrick's not telling us that she is going to go home and think, write, cook gourmet meals, blah, blah, blah. And when she is leaving the Democratic Party and is becoming a Republican.
Considering that she hadn't voted for a Democrat in years, was part of a Republican administration and made a Democrat-hating speech at the Republican convention. I'm not sure that her switch in loyalties caused anybody to fall to the floor and foam at the mouth.
And, of course, in finally getting around to re-registering, Kirk patrick had to blabber through the whole thing over again — she has no plans to run for president. She is going home. Senate, and she is going home to read, write, think and cook gourmet meals.
But I have one question. If she wants to read, write, think and cook cookmet meals, then why doesn't she quit talking about it and do it?
I know a little bit about reading, writing, thinking and even cooking. And I know that if you spend all of your time running around to TV studios or press conferences to yammer about reading, writing, baking and cooking, you will have any time to read, write, think or cook.
So, go home, Jeane. Go home and read, write and think.
And you'd better hurry if you are going to have one of those gourmet meals ready in time for dinner