OPINION
The University Daily KANSAN
September 19, 1983 Page 4
The University Daily KANSAN
Published since 1889 by students of the University of Kansas
The University Daily Kansas (USP5 60-60) is published at the University of Kansas, 118 Stuaffler Fint Hall, Lawrence, KS 60333; daily during the regular school year and Monday and Thursday during the summer sessions. Subscriptions by mail are $1 for six months or $2 a year in Douglas County and $1 for six months or $3 for a fee. Subscriptions by email are $1 for six months or $2 a year in Douglas County and $1 for six months or $3 for a fee. Address changes to the University include
MARK ZIEMAN
Editor
DOUG CUNNINGHAM STEVE CUSICK
Managing Editor Editorial Editor
MICHAEL ROBINSON
Campus Editor
PAUL JESS
General Manager and News Adviser
ANN HORNBERGER
Business Manager
DAVE WANAMAKER
Retail Sales
Manager
MARK MEARS
National Sales
Manager
LYNE STARK
Campus Sales Manager
JOIN OBERZAN
Advertising Adviser
A healthy sign
A vote by the Kansas Democratic Party over the weekend serves as a refreshing indication that party politics is not dead but still thriving
The Democratic State Committee voted, 70-59, to elect Pat Lehman as chairman of the state party. Lehman, a Wichita aircraft worker, had challenged Larry Gates, state party treasurer and an Overland Park lawyer.
Lehman's victory is a good sign for party politics in the state for several reasons. First, Lehman won despite Gov. John Carlin's support for Gates. After Robert Tilton of Topeka had resigned as state party chairman in late August, Carlin said Gates was his choice for the post.
Another good sign for party politics was Lehman's stress in her campaign on the role of party members in the state party organization.
Third, Lehman's vigorous campaign for the chairmanship may help add enthusiasm to state politics and persuade concerned members
of other parties that they, too, can make a difference.
Perhaps the most important news for Kansas party politics from these events is Lehman's asking Gates to remain party treasurer and his agreeing to do so. Such a show of party unity despite disagreement could prove crucial during next year's elections.
The state's political parties have been under much strife in recent years. Arguments, both about nominees for various posts, such as governor and president, and about positions on issues, such as the severance tax and the state budget, have acted more to divide than to unite Kansas' politicians.
The recent developments in the state Democratic hierarchy, however, show that party members can have a voice in their party's affairs, and that a show of unity is possible, even after a widely publicized controversy. Based on the debate over the chairmanship, party politics seems to be alive and well in Kansas.
Reagan's dilemma in Lebanon
President Reagan has two choices regarding the Midest conflict. Neither may be appreciated by U.S. citizens.
First, influenced by U.S. congressional critics, he is hesitant to strengthen the American military contingent in Lebanon. Second, if he
Staff Columnist
KALPANA TRIVADI
discontinues U.S. support to President Amin Gemayel of Lebanon, Gemayel could be ousted, and Reagan's efforts to achieve peace in the Mideast would crumble.
Mideast troubles may be another Vietnam for U.S.
The United States would suffer a credibility loss in the eyes of the world.
United States deeper into a quagmire.
Anyway, it is too late now to withdraw completely from the Mideast.
Circumstances have led to the tight situation the United States now faces. Violence in Lebanon and the killing of U.S. Marines have increased agitism among Americans about a boyfriend's involvement in the Mideast.
Besides the Marines already in Beirut, an additional 2,000 Marines who were serving in East Africa are stationed off the coast of Lebanon.
Many U.S. officials support keeping peacekeeping forces in Lebanon and do not want Reagan to recall the military involvement of the U.S. involvement as getting the
The United States had an opportunity to build the image of a peacemaker through the peace negotiations, but these two recent occurrences may ruin such a chance.
In the United States, Reagan is facing heavy criticism from congressmen for not ordering the recall of American troops. They have cited the 1973 War Powers Resolution. Under the act, the president must notify Congress when American troops are in a combat situation and
The University Daily Kansan 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. The Kansan also invites individuals and groups to visit him at guest columns. Columns and letters are brought to the Kansan office, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit or reject letters and columns.
must withdraw the soldiers within 60 days unless Congress authorizes to keep them where they are.
While bitter arguments rage at home, Reagan's quest for Mideast peace seems to be leading him nowhere.
American troops have died in many places. They have also died for many causes.
—Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Why did they die? For nothing?
It's hard to argue that peace is not a good cause. But will U.S. troops in Lebanon preserve peace in the region? It is clear that they will not. The fighting continues.
Fortunately, it is now likely that President Reagan will have to formally request Congressional ap-
One is bound to wonder, after seeing and hearing reports of the funerals of the two Marines most recently killed in Lebanon, why?
The conflict now raging between religious and political factions in Lebanon poses a threat to Gemayel's government. The Lebanese army is weak and ineffective, according to observers. It might not be able to establish governmental control throughout Lebanon.
So, despite the pessimistic forecasts, television and other electronic media have not supplanted the printed word and sent us down the road to gibbering illiteracy. In fact, the sales volume for new computer books proves that the electronic breakthroughs have generated new demands for reading material.
Perhaps. They did not die defending American soil. They did not die defending freedom; they died because they were sitting ducks in a regional war. It is a war in which a token commitment of U.S troops probably can't have a great impact anyway.
They should be elsewhere.
Washington will be in more or a dilemma then. As of now, the American troops have limited combat duties, to strike back if attacked. The United States will have to decide whether the troops will have to increase combat duties. That may increase American lives and more skepticism over U.S. involvement in Lebanon's internal conflict.
Moreover, Gemayel's calls for peace talks with other parties have only been scoffed at by Walid Jumbla, leader of the leftist Progressive Socialist Party and the Drusse forces.
Yet still, the troops are in Lebanon.
or merged in the past two decades, total circulation country-wide has been on the increase for six years.
According to military analysts, Gemayel would soon be asking multinational forces for help because the government troops are and they experienced especially in the mountainous region of the Chouf.
The best explanation comes from Librarian of Congress Daniel J. Boorstin, who noted: "New technologies transform the use of old ones, they don't replace them."
Where will the United States go from here? A question that will be answered only in time, as the drama in the Mideast unfolds.
Also, foreign armies, the Syri-
 Army in the east and the Israel
army to the south, do not intend
to leave in the near future.
proval under the War Powers Resolution to keep the Marines in Lebanon.
Reagan is not walking into a political mielstrom blinded. But Lebanon could become another battleground for the milestones of American history.
Some have argued that the Constitution does not permit such a requirement of the chief executive. They say the resolution constitutes a legislative veto of things done by the executive branch, and such vetos have been struck down by the Supreme Court.
Those who feared that TV shows on the level of "LaVerne and Shirley" would overtake and obliterate Shakespeare in America turn out to have been all wrong. The comforting word is, be the subject matter escapist, job-related or just the desire to be better informed in some specialized area, Americans are reading more than ever.
Although Marine commanders have been authorized to call in air strikes and naval bombardment under limited circumstances, the U.S. troops are still allowed few choices but to hope that the fighting doesn't increase. And hope that they are not killed.
Whether that actually is the case is open to debate. But the War Powers Resolution will bring about more discussion of the proper role — if any — for U.S. troops in the area
If Reagan and Congress do the right thing, they will take troops out of the area.
A reading America
According to recently announced surveys, per capita book sales almost doubled between 1970 and 1980, library circulation is staying well ahead of population growth and about 6 billion copies of magazines are sold in a year. Although a number of newspapers have folded
LETTERS POLICY
Begin's resignation should cause little change
TEL AVIV Israel $ ^{17} $ Prime Minister Menachem Begin's departure from the Israeli political scene pertends only minor immediate changes in Israel's policy and objectives.
But changes are likely in the long run, depending on whether Begin's Likub bloe manages to put forward a substitute coalition or the opposition Labor party regains power through political maneuvering.
The key to which of the political fets gets the first crack at forming a new government is in the hands of President Chaim Herzig, who must
pick a candidate he deems has the best chance to succeed.
But whether the Likud's choice Yitzhak Shamir, foreign minister in the outgoing cabinet, or opposition
OHAD H. GOZANI
United Press International
Labor Party leader Shimon Peres,
gets the nod, each would face the
same problems.
Analysts do not anticipate any big
changes on Israel's Lebanon policy, now that the Begin government has pulled its troops back to the more isolated Aawail line in southern Lebanon.
There is a basic understanding in both labor and Likud that Israel must disengage itself from the Lebanese strife, but in such a way that would not expose Israel's northern Galilee region to renewed Palestinian guerrilla attacks from the north.
The economy is another area where little change is expected. For all its attacks on the Likud
For all its attacks on the Likud
government's economic policy, the analysts say. Labor has no better solutions to the country's $22 billion foreign debt and chronic balance of trade deficit, which is expected to total $4 billion this year.
The policy differences between the two parties on Israel's settlement policy are mainly a matter of emphasis.
The Likud, including Shamir, is committed to settling anywhere on the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. But Labor is opposing the creation of settlements in heavily populated Arab areas.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor:
Hill says remark taken out of context
On Sept. 12 an unsigned Kansem editorial took me to task for what was termed a "tactless remark" made at the City Commission meeting Sept. 6. The writer charged that I had insulted students of Haskell Indian Junior College. I disagree. Whoever wrote the editorial quoted me out of context — badly out of context — and, in my view, is the one who insulted Haskell's students.
My record with Haskell is one of service, not insult. I have served as chairman of the Haskell Affairs Committee of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. As chairman, I fought hard for restoration of a $400,000 budget cut in 1982 and I believed I had a small part in Washington's decision to restore $300,000 of that amount. I have consistently used my contacts with Sens. Dole and Kassebaum and Rep. Slattery to urge their support for increased funding for Haskell.
Despite what the editorialist wrote, I am not an insensitive clod. During the U.S. bicentennial celebration, I narrated an hour-long documentary for National Public Radio titled "200 Years — Native American Perspectives." On two occasions, it has been my pleasure to be the host of outstanding athletes who were being inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.
To the person who wrote uneditable, I would add this: I reply not for Howard Hill's sake. I reply because you have wronged Haskell, its faculty and students by printing something that suggested the antithesis of what I meant. By so doing you dredged up the very stereotypes you profess to hate. You would serve Haskell better by writing of its need for additional on-campus housing to accommodate the increasing number of students who choose to further their education there.
Write of why more young people are making that decision, of Haskell's increasingly demanding academic standards and how positively students respond to those standards. Write of the larger graduating classes and of Haskell's excellence in sports, drama and the arts. Write of its service to Lawrence through a cooperative vocational-technical program. Write of the dedication of its faculty and stafff and its need for
increased financial support from Washington. You appear to be concerned for this fine educational institution. I invite you to join me in serving it.
Howard T. Hill
Howard T. Hill Lawrence City Commissioner
And by your life
To the Editor:
Those responding publicly to the Korean airliner tragedy assume
Little Sisters aren't naive
To the Editor:
I am disappointed and surprised that Kiesa Ascue feels so adamantly against the Little Sisters program at the University of Kansas. As a fraternal member for over two years, I must say I have arrived at a different conclusion.
Kiesa writes toward the end of her column in Tuesday's Kansan: "The Little Sisters system degrades participants and they don't even realize
It is rather difficult, as I have learned in my years at KU, or one to burst upon the campus and identify himself at once with an array of social crowds. The Little Sisters program is merely one aspect of the diverse social opportunities which the University offers.
Kiera also dryly writes: "These girls will be allowed the pleasure and the privilege of serving frat boys." Well, thus far in my collegiate career, the fraternity was not so much a place for such writing.
Not once have I been assisted by a Little Sister in cleaning a room - not even this past Country Club Week when I had to spend a few days revaming one of the rooms in the house.
These Little Sisters are not as naive as Kiesa might have us believe. Girls come to college and they pretty well know what type of group with which they wish to associate themselves. There are generally mutually rewarding benefits derived from the Little Sisters program.
I do agree with Karlyn Campbell who was quoted in the article as saying: "In an ideal world, programs like that wouldn't exist." We certainly have not reached Utopia yet.
At times, I get the impression that us "frat rats" are not looked upon so favorably at this University.
avoidably at this university?
Why don't all of you just go out and buy a Dylan album?
Mike Sullivan Wilmette, Ill., junior
Why don't all of you just go out and buy a Dylan album?
Mike Sullivan
leadership in helping us thoughtfully work toward reconciliation, and deserve support. But Brad Pace and Joe Hayes' letter, like the closing invective aimed at columnist Diane Luber, is divisive. The ideas they promote include a black and white view of the United States and Soviet Union. Our policies are beneficial and can be spelled with capital letters. But "Soviet" is ogre-like and barbaric.
Suggesting a fair hearing for the Soviets or the possibility of U.S. irresponsibility garners condemnation that does not flow from pride in the United States and our heritage, with its imperfections.
"Extremely harsh measures which (the Soviets) deserve," identifying an "effective reprisal" and making sure they "pay the price" dramatize a pseudopower with which we are to act. A position of true power accounts openly for human failings and strengths in both parties.
Vengence violates Christian admonitions to turn the other cheek and to "seek peace and follow after it." But retaliatory measures are of themselves an affront and make a weak connection with lives lost. Such sanctions placed alongside 280 refugee children have contributed to humanity, joy of living and sharing life and all that is inherently precious in humanity.
Yes, remember flight 007, Hungary and Afghanistan. Remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Poland for her death camps of Oswiecim, Brzinka and Madjanek Remember El Salvador and the soldiers killed in Lebanon, Welheim War Harbor and the situation of Russian troops allied in World War II. And by your life, give meaning to these deaths by bringing genuine possibilities for peace to frustration.
Mike Rundle
Mike Rundle Logan special student