OPINION
The University Daily KANSAN
February 3,1984 Page 4
Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
The University Daily KANSAN
The University Daykan Kaman (USPS 805460) is published at the University of Kansas, 118 Stuart-Fint Hall, Lawrence, KA 60043, daily during the school year and Monday and Thursday during the summer session, excluding Fridays and Sundays. The student payer must be a student enrolled in the university by mail are $15 for six months or $27 in Deudgean County and $18 for six months or $34 for an outside the county Student subscriptions are $34 paid through the student activity费 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to USPS: 917-696-1111
DOUG CUNNINGHAM
DOUG CUNNINGHAM
Editor
DON KNOX
Managing Editor
SARA KEMPIN
Editorial Editor
JEFF TAYLOR
Campus Editor
ANDREW HARTLEY
News Editor
PAUL JESS
General Manager and News Adviser
DAVE WANAMAKER
Business Manager
CORT GORMAN
JILL MITCHELL
Retail Sales Manager
National Sales Manager
JANICE PHILIPS      DUNCAN CALIHUO
Campus Sales Manager     Classified Manager
JOHN OBERZAN Sales and Marketing Adviser
Eliminate waste
Billion-dollar defense budgets and expensive high-technology weapons are only the tools that allow a nation to protect its citizens and interests.
The people who supply, purchase and manage these tools are the most important element in the defense of a nation.
Almost one-third of President Reagan's proposed $925 billion budget for 1985 is for defense. At the same time, the deficit will rise to an all-time high of $180 billion, and many domestic aid programs will receive substantial cuts.
Although building a strong military that will deter war should remain a high priority for the United States, the deficit has to be eradicated soon.
Also, defense spending must be balanced with the need to provide services for Americans - poor, hungry, unemployed, old and young.
Before pumping more money into defense, the United States should carefully consider and limit the
purchase of new equipment for the military.
Most of the weapons systems now being purchased come with ridiculously high price tags. Defense industries substitute technological gimmicks for honest dependability. They are brought with waste and are content to pass the costs onto the government.
The federal government is not solely responsible for defense. American industry must revive its long-lost pursuit of innovation at low cost and provide economical materials for defense.
Inefficient management is not limited to American industry. The military, from Pentagon officials to newly inducted recruits, must strive to squeeze the most out of themselves and their equipment.
A rerun of 'Leave it to Beaver'
It may have been my imagination, but I could have sworn that parts of President Reagan's State of War were from old "Liam to Reagan" scripts.
Now, I am not saying that the president's speechwriters are media plagiarists, or that they quoted yerbatim from the show.
As a matter of fact, mixed in with Ward and June Cleaver were shades of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, leading me to believe that the similarities in
HELAINE KASKEL
Staff Columnist
scripts were merely coincidental proofs of television's influence upon traditional American values.
With his usual endearing naivete, the president entreated Americans to return to the traditional values that made this country great.
Just as long as the Beaver said a few words to somebody up there every day, even if Beaver's teacher, Miss Landers, decided that on Monday that somebody was Bud-
Wouldn't June Cleaver be happy if, for instance, the Beaver was reminded at school each morning to say his prayers? And it wouldn't really matter what kind of prayers they were, would it?
There is no doubt in my mind that June and Ward and Ozzie and Harriet would pay all the residuals from all their reruns to listen to Reagan make the 'm' in America stand for morality once again.
And although he spared his audience the rhetoric of baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet, Reagan's words transported me to a simpler time, a time when affirmative action meant raising your hand at the Yea meeting. PMA meeting was the only hazard waste was the yellowing of a fresh snowfall by the neighbors' German shepherd.
dhah, and on Tuesday, Mohammed,
and on Thursday, Jesus, well, that
would be A-GK with June and Ward
And even though Ward's just an old softy, sometimes when the Beaver gets out of line, he could use a little back-to-basics discipline. And if Miss Landers spanks the Beaver a bit too sound, well, the Beaver was doing something wrong to begin with, wasn't he?
And about tuition tax credits — before the Nelsons and the Cleavers went off the air, both families had noticed that the neighborhood schools were — well — not going downhill, so to speak. Let's just say they are becoming overly diversified.
could just forget that new car, and the automatic washer and dryer, and the vacation in the Pocosons that was going to be a second honeymoon. Now that's no way to keep the little woman happy, is it?
And Ward and Ozzie, being the shrewd businessmen they were, realized that if the money for private school tuition was going to come out of the family savings, they
The Cleavers and the Nelsons also give their staunch support to the rest of the "traditional values" package offered in Reagan's State of the Union address: combat child pornography, sexual abuse, family violence, career criminals, organized crime and drug trafficking.
Of course, a few of these terms had to be explained to the ladies before they would give their endorsement, even though at the last Bridge Night Nancy had told them about the television commercials that caused the hazardous chemical substances. (June and Harriet had thought she
was talking about a new and potentially dangerous weed killer.
But even they don't dare talk about it at the New Suburban Republicans meetings, the Nelsons and the Cleavers disagree with the president on one point — shhhh! + abortion.
You see, Wally didn't really know what he was doing, because when they put the prayer back in the schools, they took out the sex education and somehow he got a girl well, in the family way.
And even though she seems like a nice girl, well, the whole town would know about it, and there's no other girl she could wear white at the wedding.
But the Cleavers do have one consolation. They guess that their boy has a lot in common with the man he wasn't really know what he was doing.
A call for negotiations
In the fall President Reagan sent the Marines into Grenada, where they cleaned up quickly enough to make the Sandinistas flinch.
Last summer, 5,000 U.S. soldiers began seven months of war games in Honduras, close enough to the Nicaraguan border to make that government sweat.
Since that time, the Nicaraguan government has expelled many of its Cuban civilian advisers such as doctors, teachers and construction workers.
The New York Times has reported that the flow of arms to the leftists in El Salvador has slowed to a trickle. The leftists have abandoned their exiled headquarters in Managua.
The government has also signed a peace treaty with the Latin American Contadora group, eased censorship and has indicated a greater concern for having elections.
These actions have shown the
United States the Sandinistas are now willing to reassess their policy of revolutionary expansion and to take care of their enormous continuing domestic crises.
The United States now has the means to negotiate from a position of strength, yet the president seems to have no desire to talk peace.
But the Reagan administration has continued to ignore opportunities to reduce tension between the nations and has ignored the Sandinistas' desire for negotiation.
The Reagan administration has said that the initial reason for increased U.S. involvement in the area was to stop the flow of arms between Nicaragua and El Salvador.
Much more than that has been accomplished, and now is the time to create more tranquility in the region by beginning negotiations for a lasting peace.
Spanish advancement
Another turning point in the post-Franco history of Spain has come with the induction under more direct civilian control of a new group of top defense officials.
... The occasion brought to reality a new law under which the chief of defense staff will report directly to the civilian minister of defense in the prime minister's Cabinet.
So even though the personnel and politics of the armed forces continue to be as conservative as in Franco's time, there is a general feeling that they now are under control.
Americans can become so preoccupied with the failures of democracy, such as in Nigeria . . . that they overlook the places where democracy is flourishing after years of dictatorship. Let the Spanish achievement be given happy recognition.
That carries out the edict of the new law to bring the armed forces more firmly under the prime minister, who now has power to "administer, direct and coordinate" the armed forces.
once has shown his faithfulness to democracy, remains supreme commander of the armed forces.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Liberal arts graduates are in demand
King Juan Carlos, who more than
The University Daily Kansean welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be typewritten, 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 home town or faculty or staff individuals and groups to grant positions Columns and letters can be mailed or brought to the Kansean office, 111 Staunton-Flint Hall. The Kansean reserves the right to edit or reject letters and columns.
PATRICIA
McCORMACK
Jobs besides those of taxi driver, window washer and checker clerk are out there for English, art, music, art history and other liberal arts majors.
That word comes from company chieftains who huddled with college officials at Princeton, N.J., discussing how to get word around that
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"The 60 participants agreed that the study of such subjects as languages, literature, history, philosophy, comparative religion, ethics and the history, criticism and theory of the arts can provide knowledge and develop skills necessary for success in the business
corporate America is putting out the welcome mat for liberal arts graduates.
LETTERS POLICY
world," a report on the conference said.
"There is a place and a central place — for the humanities and the liberal arts graduate in business," said Charles L. Brown, chairman of the board, American Telephone ad Telegraph, opening the conference.
proceedings of the conference just has been sent to chief executive officers of hundreds of corporations. The covering letter was signed by Brown and James L. Ferguson, chairman and chief executive,
The conference was sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
"We write to your attention to the . . . findings and recommendations of an important conference on connections between the study of the humanities . . . and careers in business," they said.
— Chase Manhattan Bank discovered in a recent study of commercial banking trainees that those with only bachelor's degrees developed stronger technical banking skills than those with advanced degrees. About a third of those with bachelor's degrees majored in the humanities and over two-thirds in liberal arts.
American Telephone and Telegraph found in a study of its managers that humanities and social science majors were promoted more rapidly than technical graduates.
"Please读 it. You will learn, as we and some 60 corporate and academic leaders did, how much business and the humanities have to offer each other and what you, as a business person, can do to make more effective relations possible."
ates is in their own best interest. At Stanford, Dartmouth, Harvard and Michigan the numbers of companies seeking interviews with liberal arts students are from three to six times more than they were in the mid-1970s.
How does the study of the humanities — fields like music, English, history, philosophy, psychology and foreign languages — build such a strong foundation for a career in business?
- Many companies have found that attracting humanities gradu
"It develops strengths that scientific or technical training alone seldom provides — judgment, a historical sense, knowledge of other languages and cultures, recognition of ethical issues, interpersonal abilities, communication skills, intellectual flexibility.
The answer, from the report;
"In a complex, changing business environment, an investment in these qualities can offer important long-term returns."
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Really a big deal
To the editor:
In his letter to the editor, "It's no big deal," (Jan. 30), Douglas Sikora voiced some common opinions to which I am moved to respond.
I agree with Sikora that for the last 200 years America has indeed maintained a degree of freedom for its citizens that in comparison to many other nations is quite respectable.
However, I simply do not see this as a justification for blind allegiance toward the government's actions, be they present or past.
And certainly StEdm should not — as Sikora has suggested — be expected to act against his conscience because in the past other circumstances, have chosen to fight under the American flag.
Sikora writes in his letter, "signed a draft card is really no big deal." This superficial statement, however, is wrong.
As individuals we are obligated to do what we honestly believe to be right, and this responsibility does not stop with casting a vote.
We are, each of us, individuals as well as pieces of the whole, and though a majority of the whole may be just right and right, it does not make it so.
Stamm is a man of exceptional moral fiber. He has defined his morals well and will not allow them to be defeated despite the potential consequences.
I would be far more optimistic about the future of this democracy and the world in general if there were no major wars, no genocide, no courage. The courage to say "no."
Steve Schwalm
Steve Schwain
Lincoln, Neb., freshman
Morals plunging
To the editor:
Our moral values are diving to record lows, and the general public not only condones these changes, but pleased with the lowered morals.
We are advised not to kill, as one of the Ten Commandments, for a reason, and I am not sure whether we should not preserve the value of human life.
Many of us don't believe, or don't want to believe that God will provide for the needs of unborn children if we are carried to term and delivered.
If any of us ask Him with a heart that believes in His himipotence, we will see Him do just that. How much longer before we have found a cure for the murder of our elderly in the name of humanity and space needed?
There is no justification for murder, neither physical nor spiritual, and abortion is both of these. We should not regard the absurd or disregard what God calls important.
into American homes, the United States might have adopted the so-called Aiken strategy — that is, unilaterally declare a victory in Southeast Asia and bring the boys home.
Daphne Fowler St. Louis senior
it is hard it is to see that some of the things we enjoy are not good but I know for a fact that if you try God's way for a while with a sincere heart you won't be easily swayed toward activities displeasing to Him again.
The right not to know
WASHINGTON — Sometimes overlooked in the clamor for new Constitutional amendments is the evidence that freedoms, rights and mandates thus safeguard can work two ways.
That point is neatly illustrated by the present flap over barring press coverage of the Grenada invasion, or "rescue mission."
Any guarantee of freedom of information, stated or implied, carries with it a concomitant warrant of freedom from information. This may explain why polls taken after Grenada have tended to support the news media ban.
Citizens who approved the orders that kept reporters from the battle scene simply were exercising their fundamental right not to know.
The Vietnam War frequently is cited as justification for the Grenada press ban. It is difficult to quarrel with that view.
Indeed, had it not been for television nightly bringing war news
Freedom from information, which includes the right to believe only what the government chooses to tell us, is deeply rooted in American life. We are taught in school examples, who can blame children for dropping out of school?
The right not to know also may account for the popularity of talk shows, gossip magazines and the tabloids. You must keep one's name out of the nannys.
Nobody can dispute that it had not been for war correspondents filing daily reports from Vietnam, our military commanders and civilian diplomats would have had more freedom to see the light at the end of the day. But now we don't need the Stone Age and otherwise employ ancient and ancient tactics.
But no. Any such declaration would have run counter to the nightly reports of communist victories in Vietnam.
It may be argued that the right to be uninformed includes freedom to
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turn off a television set when it is bringing news not to our liking. I remind you, however, that Americans who rely on television as their primary source of news are, in effect, a captive audience.
DICK WEST
Televiewers cannot avert their eyes from a baleful item and refocus on a more sunny dispatch. Unlike newspaper readers, they are obliged to learn bad news along with the good.
Unfortunately for Americans who wish to inviole the right not to know with respect to Lebanon, U.S. news media had correspondents in that country. Their presence undoubtedly inhibits attempts to withdraw our troops.
By constantly filing reports of cease-fire violations, reporters make it tougher for the government to claim that the peace-keeping mission has succeeded, thereby removing the need for further occupation.
I can't blame our leaders for cherishing the sort of vacuum that prevailed during the Grenada operation. If an ostrich is free to stick its head in the sand, can we deny our people a comparable right?
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