KANSAN
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas
79th Year, No. 43
Thursday, November 14, 1968
Birth control voted on
WASHINGTON (UPI)—The nation's Roman Catholic bishops took a preliminary secret vote yesterday on a proposed pastoral letter dealing with birth control. But neither the contents of the letter nor the outcome of the vote was revealed following the closed session.
Extraordinary security precautions were taken to prevent details of the letter from becoming public, but it was known that the letter pertains to whether or not a Roman Catholic couple should make their own decision about using contraceptives despite Pope Paul's recent encyclical banning them.
Earlier, the bishops, gravely concerned over the growing number of priests leaving the ministry to marry, discussed possible procedural changes in releasing them from their priestly vows.
There was also concern about the shrinking number of nuns.
Key passages of the proposed pastoral letter were read aloud in the closed meeting by Bishop John J. Wright of Pittsburgh, the head of the seven-man committee which drafted it.
These passages had been revised by the committee on the basis of written suggestions submitted by about 60 of the more than 220 bishops attending the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
A spokesman said Wright and other members of the drafting committee "answered several questions from the floor on the revised text and the reasons for the changes."
There was speculation that the letter would put the U.S. bishops on the sides of their counterparts in
Canada, France, Germany, Holland and several other countries who said Catholic couples could use contraceptives if the practice was not contrary to their conscience.
At Wright's request, a secret ballot was taken to guide the drafting committee in deciding if the bishops were in agreement with the general tone of the proposed letter, or whether additional changes should be made.
Seating of Red China is a 'matter of principle'
The ballots were tuined over to Wright, who refused to reveal the outcome to prevent the other bishops from disclosing the news to the press.
UNITED NATIONS (UPI)—The Soviet Union Wednesday urged the seating of Communist China in the United Nations "as a matter of principle."
Soviet Ambassador Jacob A. Malik told the General Assembly Moscow's attitude toward bringing the Peking regime into the world organization was "not a matter to be approached accoording to some transitory nature of our relations" with the Chinese Communists, with whom the Russians have been feuding over ideological interpretations.
French Ambassador Armand Berard also backed Red China's entry as the Assembly held its third day of debate on the perennial issue.
A vote, expected by the weekend, will result in a larger margin than last year's 56 per cent in favor of keeping Nationalist China in the U.N. seat, diplomats predicted.
The Soviet representative also endorsed the admission of both East and West Germany, declaring that admission to the United Nations was a matter of "the rights of sovereign states."
The Russians, although they do not maintain diplomatic relations with West Germany, realize that Communist East Germany never will win U.N. admission unless West Germany does, too.
Neither Malik nor Berard had a world of praise for the Peking regime however. And the Russian—whose country led the first assault on Nationalist China's U.N. seat 19 years ago—even refused to mention maverick Albania, chief sponsor of this year's pro-Peking resolution.
The Russians said continued exclusion of Communist China from the United Nations was "a blatant injustice to the Chinese people."
Asked about this, the conference's spokesman, Auxiliary Bishop James P. Shannon of St. Paul, Minn., told reporters, "If we don't know, you don't know."
Malik would have no part of the proposal to seat both the Peking and Taipei regimes here. He said it would "perpetuate the alienation of Taiwan Formosa from China."
The United States has introduced a resolution that would require a two-thirds vote of the Assembly to turn the Chinese seat over to the Communists.
The drafting committee was expected to make further refinements overnight and there was the possibility formal debate on the letter would begin Thursday. It is tentatively scheduled for public release at the end of the week.
Increasing cloudiness or mostly cloudy. Highs today 55-60 degrees. Low tonight 35-40 degrees. Precipitation probabilities 30 per cent, 20 per cent Friday. Winds light and from the northeast.
Shannon said the problem of priests leaving their posts for marriage is "very serious."
"The bishops are gravely concerned," he said. "They are doing
(Continued on page 12)
Attorney says no facts kept secret
No lid of secrecy has been clamped on information surrounding the death of Bruce Mallin, 20-year-old Kansas City junior, Dan Young, county attorney, said.
A Kansas City radio station reported that authorities were witholding information concerning the fight that took place Thursday in the parking lot behind Naismith Hall.
Young said he will not speculate on the cause of death. He is waiting for the completion of the autopsy report, which should take about a week. He will report on the cause of death after he receives this report.
Questioning of witnesses is continuing and no charges have been filed as of yet. Young said it would be about a week before charges would be made.
A 17-year-old Kansas City freshman has been questioned and released, but investigation continues
UDK News Roundup By United Press International
U. S. troops attacked
SAIGON (UPI) Swarms of North Vietnamese troops charging behind a mortar barrage attacked U.S. Air Cavalrymen near the Cambodian border shortly before midnight Wednesday. The Americans beat off the assault and killed at least 120 Red soldiers, military spokesmen said.
Oil firms face limits
WASHINGTON (UPI) - The Office of Foreign Investments yesterday proposed strict limits on U.S. oil companies' spending for exploration and development overseas during 1969.
The limits were to prevent oil firms from boosting foreign investments next year by writing the sums off as development expenses.
The OAFI administers the government's program limiting overseas lending and spending by American firms in an attempt to curb the dollar outflow and correct the nation's balance of payments.
Youths shout 'Nazi'
BRUSSELS-Young Belgian demonstrators shouted "Nazi Kiesinger" and threw firecrackers Wednesday night in an unsuccessful attempt to break up a rally at which Chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger of West Germany was featured speaker.
Earlier Wednesday police arrested Beate Klarsfeld, the West German woman who last week slapped Kiesinger.
Missing execs found
QUITO, Ecuador-The government reported Wednesday the rescue of two kidnapped executives of a plantation near Guayaquil owned by New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller.
An official statement said the men were kidnapped by leftist workers at the plantation seeking higher wages.
11.
Kansan photo by Gary Mason
Moving day for special collections
Library employees began moving Special Collections and other research materials from Watson Library to their new home in Spencer Library. The new building will be formally opened Friday. The transfer of materials to Spencer has not been completed.
Poem to be printed
Material for the "Cottonwood Review," a KU literary magazine, has been returned to the KU Printing Service for typing.
Last week the printing service returned the material to the magazine's staff. Robert W. Jaeger, assistant director of the printing service, said a poem submitted for the first edition was obscene and needed approval from the Chancellor's office before it could be typed.
James Surface, KU provost, said he was unaware of the problem until yesterday morning. After talking to Thruston Moore, advisor to the magazine, Surface said he simply called Jaeger and told him to continue work on the magazine.
"It was a big misunderstanding, which was settled 10 minutes after I talked with Mr. Jaeger," Surface said.
Su: surface said he had not read the poem.
"I consulted with the advisor and I felt that his word was enough," he said.
work was enough. Ken Irving, Rochester, Minn., senior and editor of the magazine, said the KU printing service will only type the copy.
"The printing service should really only check for libel," Irving contended, "and not for the rest of it. So we're no longer obseene."
Irving said this was the last edition he would serve as editor. He said he would rather edit his own magazine so he could experiment and do different things.