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Thursday. October 26, 1972
University Daily Kansan
KANSAN comment
Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
Voter Information Gap
Supposedly this is history's best informed generation. Perhaps it is, but before we all report to the polls this November, smugly confident of our knowledgeability, perhaps we should ask ourselves a few questions, just to see how politically well-informed we really are.
To begin with, what are the duties of the Kansas secretary of state? What qualities and knowledge must the secretary have in office for the two candidates for that office?
What are the duties of the lieutenant governor? Who are the candidates for the office? How do Fletcher Bell and his opponent feel about no-fault insurance? Who are the candidates for probate judge? What does a county commissioner do?
Perhaps you think these races are insignificant, but the truth is that these local races will determine the immediate future of campaign expenditure laws and of lobby control laws in Kansas. These local officers will veto or approve bicycle pavement laws, insurance and determine future of juvenile facilities in Douglas County. The winners will control the University's funds, and some will go on to become national leaders.
How qualified are you to vote on these offices?
Now ask one more question. Can you really afford to be so slovenly in executing your responsibility as a voter?
—Robert Ward
Guest Editorial
Palestine's Plight
By FAWWAZ T. ULABY
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering
"The tragedy of the people of Palestine is that their country was given by a foreign power (Great Britain) to another people for the creation of a new state. The result was that millions of innocent people were made permanently homeless. How much longer is the world willing to endure this spectacle of wanton cruelty? No people anywhere in the world would accept being expelled en masse from their homeland. The sameame require the people of Palestine to accept a punishment which nobody else would tolerate." No one could have better described the plight of the Palestinian people than these words by Bertrand Russell.
The public has been well-exposed to one side of this issue due to the bias of U.S. government policy as reflected in the American mass media. Facts relating to the situation faced by these refugees are either not generally known or are misrepresented. The large and little empathy for the Palestinian people, due in large part to irorance.
Let us examine what sort of situation could drive a person to commit such acts as the recent Munich incident, keeping in mind that from our vantage point in a well-fed technological society, this will be very difficult. Beginning 24 years ago, these Palestinian people were forcibly driven from their homes and lands, and those who did not have religious education received class citizenship similar to that suffered by innocent Jews at the hands of Hitler. How ironic! Just in the case of the Jews, many Palestinians fled. Herein lies the big difference. The Palestinians fled by the millions mostly to the neighboring Arab countries, which were unable to provide for them. These people were for the most part farmers. Farm land is at a premium in countries to which they fleed. Syria and Jordan have extended citizenship to a limited few who possessed skills or were educated. On other hand, does not grant citizenship, because the born to parents of Lebanese citizenship due to the terrible burden placed on this country in assimilating the thousands of Armenians displaced during World War I. So what happened to the main body of these 1.5 million registered Palestinian refugees? They were grouped into "temporary" tent camps 24 years ago, waiting for a
U. N. settlement. To this day, a Palestinian refugee exists (the word "lives" hardly applies) in the tent enclaves by the charity of the U.N.; his annual income is about $12, if he was born before 1961. No U.N. charity is available to children born after 1961.
How can we even begin to imagine the state of mind of a Palestinian father who has nothing to offer his children but more misery and humiliation, or that of a 20-year-old who lost his father, mother or brother at the hands of the Israelis in 1956, 1967 or one of the indiscriminant bombings of the overcrowded refugee camps? Why wouldn't a desperate Palestinian attempt a desperate action, such as throwing an object highjacking in hope to free some of his brothers and sisters from Israeli prisons and capture world attention. After all, what does he have to lose?
First generation refugees waisted patiently in these "temporary" camps for a settlement. While Israel prospered and was given every consideration by the community of nations, the plight of the Palestinians was ignored, or used by the Arab government for its own political ends. The sons and daughters of those refugees were no longer content to endure this limbo. When their organizations began to be poised andapture at attention, King Hussein of Jordan crushed the commandos to forestall reprisals from Israel, such as annexation of Jordanian territory captured during the June 1967 conflict.
When operations against Israel were curtailed by intimidated Arab governments, with the world, still unfeeling, unseeing, the theater was to include highjacking, letter bombs and kidnapping. All else has failed.
These terrorist activities are not viewed by the Western world as symptoms of the desperation of these 1.5 million people but as incidents to be dealt with out of context. These activities are pleas for recognition. But instead, West Germany has reacted oppressively to the exportation of thousands of Palms to students, including exportation to Jordan when the government is as determined to preserve its status quo at the Palestinian expense as in any of the Western countries.
The only way to prevent similar desperate acts is for the world and particularly the U.S. to rouse from its state of lethargy and include the Palestinians in the just settlement of their rights.
James J. Kilpatrick
Ecological Values Explored
LOGAN, UTAH- Students at Utah State University are going through a fascinating intellectual exercise these days, as part of a study not only of the environment, but of their own life values also.
It would be hard to imagine a better site for the program. The university nestles in a bowl of spectacular mountains. The air sparkles; golden poplar flame lights up the landscape; water pours down from snow-capped hills. But even here one finds the stirring of controversy: Should a certain skin area be built? It would provide needed light, but it also creates the magnificent mountain. Should a massive power plant be built? It would provide needed electric energy for the expanding industries of the region and it would create 17,000 jobs, the escape. Does Utah need the industry? Does Utah need the income?
Such questions, of course,
reach far beyond this valley. At a
day-long colloquium last week,
the students sought a meeting
that will occupy the whole world over
the next century: What is the price
that must be paid to preserve a
livable planet? If a part of that
planet were lost, back in our own
affordant standard of living, what do we cut back?
As part of the exercise, the students were asked to imagine that the energy crisis has
arrived. Oil cannot be imported from Africa and the Middle East. Liquified natural gas cannot be obtained from Algeria. The heat that must be supplied to energy has not been found. Major reductions must be made in the consumption of energy, or, as an alternative, serious damage must be done to the environment: the strip-mining of coal, the burning of oil fuels, the thermal pullition that results from atomic plants.
Assuming these conditions, what should be done? Gary Snyder, a visiting poet and writer, asked who tackled the question squerely. He proposed, for starters, the abolition of jet air travel, a prohibition upon air conditioning and a stringent regulation of the products of our conspicuous consumption, he thought, could be forbidden altogether—such as snowmobiles. The thought students and the students an audible grouper.
But the function of a poet is not to light the surface only, but to illuminate the darker recesses of the mind. Snyder pressed the students to challenge the whole American idea of "growth." Is it the power of civilization does not "move forward," it stagnates or moves backward? What do we mean by forward and backward: The opening of the West, a century ago, produced great cities and
obliterated whole species of animals and birds. Was this growth? These are the questions poets ask.
Dick Gregory, comedian turned social activist, made a point too often forgotten: When it comes to the world’s resources of energy, the underdeveloped nations of the world could not justly be asked to take self-delivery. “They’re going to say, ‘Hey baby, it’s our turn now.’”
A political philosopher, turning to another aspect of the problem, wondered how a cutback in living standards would be achieved. Who would say what products could be manufactured? How would gasoline be rationed? Why would permitted to travel? Could freedom survive in the midst of massive regimentation?
This was an exercise, mind you, intended not to frame specific answers but merely to
harpen wipes, but such exercises are useful. We are privileged to live in the most affluentization ever known to man, at a time when affluence and achieved this civilization at a price. The jet plane, we say, is a value. So was he buffalo a value. We have illed our belles, which is good, said. We gathered our rivers, which is sad. What values truly matter? and how do we keep these values jeure?
(C) The Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.
"OKAY. OKAY! SO HES AGAINST THE CLEAN WATER BILL!"
Jack Anderson
Pakistan Policy 'Tilt' Continues
WASHINGTON-Ten months ago, President Nixon told congressional leaders that the United States was "neutral" in the India-Pakistan conflict, although he had given secret orders to help Pakistan move toward the U.S. is still tilted toward Pakistan, and Administration officials are still twisting the truth.
A foreign aid spokesman assured us that the U.S. is now shipping technical aid and relief food to India. From the White House down, officials insisted the U.S. is not favoring Pakistan over Afghanistan in a discrimination against India," a State Department official said.
The Indian embassy, however, tells us a little story. Not only were all aid shipments suspended last December in violation of agreements to treat spokemen but the ban still hasn't been lifted. When we quoted what the foreign aid agency had told us, he made a careful check and reported back that no aid is getting through the system or items that had been scheduled before the December suspension.
In contrast, the U.S. has quietly stepped up its support of
Pakistan. In September, the U.S.
granted Pakistan a 40-year, low-
interest $60 million loan; rescheduled a debt agreement worth $51 million in debt relief to Pakistan; and signed an agreement to ship 600,000 tons of wheat to Pakistan.
While Pakistan is filling its bins with American grain, it will export even an equal amount of rice. The wheat shipments, in turn, will increase the possibility for Pakistan to sell rice on the world market for an estimated $46 million in cold cash. Pakistan will also be a good source for U.S. loan money to buy necessities from America's trade rivals.
The Indian embassy spokesman agreed with the State Department, at least, that there has been a discrimination against India. "In terms of access," he said, "there has been no discrimination."
We, however, have uncovered evidence of discrimination. Recent instructions went out for, and received back, from Aeronautics and Space Administration to its Langley Research Center. "During the research period," the memo, "NASA (particularly Langley) has been getting many
requests from India for published NASA reports without any attempt on the Indians' part to pay requests or to send requests are generally not involved in NASA cooperative projects, it is suggested that future requests be directed if they are unanticipated in the reports may be purchased."
The instructions were signed by James R. Morrison, deputy director of international planning. He acknowledged that he had singled out India, although other nations also seek and receive free NASA documents. In response, the Indian requests, he explained, because they had become "excessive."
Quite clearly, U.S. policy on the Indian subcontinent still has a pronounced pro-Pakistan tilt.
CHAFEE HAITACATES
The Nixon Administration and the Democratic Party machine in Rhode Island are cooperating in an effort to purge a federal employee who had the courage to tell the truth.
He is Arthur Levin, a congressional liaison officer at ACTION, the new agency that combines Peace Corps, VISTA and other volunteer activities. Levin's sin was to publicly
confirm our recent story which accused President Nixon's former Navy Secretary, John Chafee, of making personal use of Republican Governors Association funds when he was chairman of that organization in 1963.
Chafee is currently running for the Senate against incumbent Democrat Claiborne Pell. The White House considers the race crucial to its plans for aican takeover of the Senate.
Chafee, therefore, vehemently denied the charges. Levin, however, had served as Chafee's press secretary and executive assistant in 1963, and he knew the charges to be true. So he issued a statement supporting our story and offered that Chafee in public debate.
Levin's embarrassing challenge, it appears, may have cost him his job.
Shortly after he issued the statement, John Chafee personally spoke with Levin's superiors at ACTION, Nick Laird and Eric Silberstein. Laird and Silberstein claim Chafes' action in which Levin was acting in any official capacity."
A week later, however, Levin
was given two days notice to prepare for a three-week trip to the southwest and west coast to "survey . . . regional office needs for congressional affairs specialists."
Furthermore, Levin told us in a sworn statement, he has been arrested for stalking and telephone lines between the White House and ACTION have been burning. The Republicans in the Senate are also screaming for your blood."
Levin is a Civil Service employee and, theoretically, cannot work in the same job as Silberstein told him. Levin swore that the "system does not work" and that the "White House people do it" ways around the regulations.
Levin said he has also received a levin from Thomas Wright, chairman of the Republican Party in Rhode Island. According to his book, "Rise and Ruin" "fix" and "ruin" him by seeing that he was "soon without a job."
Laird and Silberstein denied making the statements attributed to them by Levin. Silberstein even offered to put his denial in form of an affidavit "if it will help kill the story."
Copyright, 1972. bv United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
Readers Respond
To the Editor:
Once again I have been totally frustrated by my experiences with the library, and I'm currently serving at the library for reference terms for a term paper I found that the books needed for the class were, as usual, not on line. I also found that these books (including a 1971 dissertation of which only one student had been checked out to a faculty member for four months). I also found that, in the case of a faculty member who is definitely because he receives
Library Gripes, Morris . . .
no fine for overdue books.
At the same time I discovered that one of the books needed was on closed book and the class had reserved the book, and to my surprise it was a class that I had had last semester and to my surprise this book was I told that once a book is put on closed reserve it is never taken off unless the faculty removed it. I also removed it. I was also told that the faculty felt that a book on closed reserve could at least be located. I learned leaving a book on closed reserve
when it is not being used for a class? It was my understanding that the system was for the students as well as the faculty, and I can see no justification for allowing a student to operate on the system of penalizing the student when in effect, the library is for the use of.
Another distressing factor in using the library system here at KU is the number of libraries
which have 8-5 or 9-4 hours. Being not only a student, but also the holder of an 8-5 job, I find it rather ridiculous that you cannot be a teacher unless you know some cases these libraries are not even open on weekends.
When asking about the reason for the hours, you hear, "We don't have the money to hire the people." Perhaps if the faculty had more students, they would be as students for overdue books this would not be the case.
Melody Campbell Lawrence Junior
Griff and the Unicorn
★★
By Sokoloff
by the general election date.
10 to the Earlor.
I want to comment just a moment on the upcoming election for Governor of Kansas.
There are some very important issues that young people should consider for college. Young people should consider which candidate offers the most to young people, which candidate offers the most to college students, relief and which candidate offers the most to college students.
Morris Kay's platform on youth is outstanding. He proposes a youth council to address the needs of young Kansan, an intern system allowing young people to work in agencies of state government and in the state government for representation on the State Board of Regents, election reforms to allow 18-year-olds to hold public office and reforms to allow more students to general election to vote in the primary election if he will be 18
Morris Kay's tax proposals offer immediate tax relief to our overburdened taxpayers. By removing everyone who would feel the benefits, because we all buy these items, the lost revenue to the state from this proposal is one-third of the money for Kansas from Federal Revenue Sharing. This would be an excellent method for funneling directly back to the taxpayer.
Morris Kay proposes to increase the amount of loans and grants available at allied college. He feels that anyone wanting to go to school should not be denied the opportunity due to her lack of financial ability, that Morris Kay, the republican nominee for governor, offers the most of what we need in Kansas, new positive, energetic and effective leader-
When you vote November 7
(and please don't forget to vote).
please keep these things in mind.
Wichita Junior
Wichita Junior
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