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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, October 23,1968
Support Lifeline
Biafra.
The word has become synonymous with human starvation and suffering. In the more than 16 months since Biafra broke away from Nigeria, starvation has pervaded the blood-stained land of that tiny country.
Biafra, formerly the eastern region of Nigeria, reportedly now has approximately six million persons living in an area of not much more than 60 miles across in any direction.
When the civil war began, this area was about 20,000 square miles and was inhabited by about 14 million persons.
But to a world which has had its senses numbed by Vietnam and distracted by a Soviet-Czech confrontation, Biafra has remained on the periphery of activity-oriented attention.
Placing the blame for such immense suffering on any one nation is impossible. A portion of the blame could go to many nations and institutions: to the British and Russians who have supplied arms, to the U.N. which has not intervened at the risk of alienating African nations, to the U.S. which has its attention diverted to other parts of the world, to the African nations which have eschewed decisive intervention, and to the stubborn, warring Nigerian factions.
But finding a scapegoat is not the answer. In fact, that may very well be one of the causes of a world's inertia in the face of a hideous spectacle.
There is a time when the strings of politics must be severed, a time when political considerations must be lifted lest they suffocate a suffering people. It is now such a time.
Community members have been asked to participate in a relief fund drive, sign petitions, write letters to President Johnson, Congressmen, or presidential candidates and attend a vigil this Friday.
In the face of government hesitancy, several agencies and individuals have stimulated action behalf of the starving Biafrans. A national "Biafra Lifeline" program is presently functioning at KU.
It seems a well-worn cliche to urge people to take such actions. But one must work with the resources available, and these are the best means presently available.
But they must be used, and used extensively to stimulate and mobilize action that will relieve the suffering in Biafra.
Richard Lundquist Assistant Editorial Editor
Letters to the editor
Drinking, fights at game
To the Editor:
I feel compelled to write this letter for two reasons.
First of all, I am becoming appalled at the drinking done by KU students at the home football games. For three years now I have watched students sneaking bottles into the games for an occasional nip (maybe with our past won-lost records they needed it). But this year the drinking is becoming excessive, and there doesn't seem to be any concern at all among these students about breaking the law. It is against the law, you know, even if "everyone does it." At both the Indiana and Oklahoma State games someone openly had portable bars set up in the aisle—complete with jiggers, limes, and several bottles. Is this what comes from having a winning football team?
At the Indiana game someone must have become jealous of the bar, because an empty pint bottle hurled from an upper section smashed on the step behind it, narrowly missing a girl's head on the way down.
The crowning touch however, came last Saturday at the Oklahoma State game. It started when the two drunks operating the bar began yelling obscenities at the people leaving the game late in the fourth quarter. When this didn't seem to get them enough attention, they began to concentrate on the girls leaving the game. Since the girls had to almost step over them to get down the aisles, they were in a good position to pinch them or pull up their skirts—real mature, collegiate entertainment. Finally, one of the girl's dates stopped one of the drunks, at which time the other one jumped on his back and they all three rolled down the bleachers, scattering some spectators and knocking down the ones who couldn't get out of the way. The fighting started with three students on about row 58 and ended up involving about 20 students 16 rows below. At least one girl and several boys were innocently involved, landing on the bottom of the pile.
My second complaint relates to the first, and that is with the ushers. Do they get paid, and if so for what? During the fight Saturday several of us tried in vain to get two ushers so they could escort the drunks out of
the stands before they caused more trouble. The only reaction we could get from them was that they strained their necks a little more to get a better view of the action. We realize that the ushers aren't policemen (there weren't any policemen anywhere near, by the way; the closest ones were down in the end zone section where there weren't so many people and the only action was that of the Lawrence High cheerleaders), but if they can't help settle things down, who can.
Also, before the Indiana game a couple couldn't get the people who were sitting in their seats to move, so he went down to ask the help of an usher. The usher refused to be bothered, saying "Just do the best you can." They sat in the aisle.
So I end with two questions:
1. What are the duties of the ushers at the games; what are we to ask and not to ask of them?
2. Can't the students themselves take the responsibility of putting pressure on those students who have to get drunk to enjoy a football game before someone gets seriously injured, or do we have to pay for an increased police force to constantly patrol the stands for booze?
I think a few inconsiderate.
immature students have a good start on ruining the best football season KU has had in many many years. Rick Lucas
Rick Lucas Lakin senior
To the Editor:
Regretfully, a cry for common sense is seldom heard. Almost tragically, a plea for consideration of other people is never heard by some. There are a few at this university who really don't give a damn. Two of these individuals got drunk at the game Saturday, crudely pestered a number of coeds and assaulted one coed's date who politely asked that they cool it. In the fight that followed this student's assault, half a section was cleared out and a few bystanders assaulted the drunks.
These two selfish, inconsiderate individuals broke a number of laws at the game Saturday. Yet the ushers and police did nothing. It is quite fortunate that only two people were slightly injured.
Because of an inconsiderate few who jeopardize the safety of many, there is a definite need for enforcement of the laws at our home games. I hope in the future that firmer steps will be taken by the ushers and the police so that unfortunate incidents like this will not be repeated.
Phil de la Cruz
Omaha, Nebraska, Soph.
'Surely you don't expect me to become involved in the politics of you common mortal'
The Hill With It by john hill
The new recruit nervously fiddled with his shiny new peace medallion while he waited in the plush offices of Voice, Inc.
"Mr. Demand will see you now," said the secretary, and ushered the recruit in to a beautiful office of red carpeting and walnut paneling.
"Manny's the name, and voice is the game," said the short, fat man with a cigar in his mouth, who wore a gray flannel suit and extended his hand in a rush week-like handshake.
"What can I do for you, young man, voice-wise?"
"Well sir," said the young man, "I'm interested in love and peace and student rights, not necessarily in that order, and I was thinking about joining Voice."
"Great, great," said the rush chairman, "glad to see you've got one of our pledge pins around your neck. First of all, do you have any questions about Voice?"
"Well, yes. Now as I understand it, after carefully reading that paragon of Truth and personification of Accuracy, the Daily Kansan, that Voice is scornful of how the spokesmen for the administration always seem to only offer glittering generalities and always pleasant-sounding euphemisms instead of plain language."
"Right!! You've really hit the ol' nail, head-wise. They're all hung up with choosing the right words. We just tell it like it is," said Mr. Demand, "you know, we just throw it down the 'ol well to see how it splashes."
"I see," said the rushee, impressed. "Another thing I wanted to know was about Student Voice's interest in the rights of Negro students, which I think is great, and—"
"—uh, we, uh, call ourselves People's Voice now, you know," the man smiled somewhat sheepishly, "and we use the term black students too. Sounds a little better, image-wise. Have any other questions? Just throw it down the 'ol alley and we'll see how many pins it knocks over."
"I understand that you object to any closed faculty or administration meetings, but I was wondering whenever reporters cover your meetings, do they—"
“—well, uh, we prefer that our meetings be closed to reporters. Distortions, you know, and all that. Can't be too careful about the 'ol image."
"I would have thought that your attitudes would be scornful of the emphasis on an image or public relations like the university has," the rushee said, hesitantly.
"Right, man, right. Tell it like is. That's us."
"But without having any reporters at your meetings, how do you let your ideas become publicly known?"
"Well, we have a press coordinator, who releases what goes on in our meetings."
"You mean that Student Voice—"
“—People's Voice."
"People's Voice has a public relations man who censors the news from your meetings?"
"No, no, no, that's something that the Bad Guys would do." The man sweating and looked very uncomfortable. "He justs, uh, well, he justs, uh, coordinates, uh, the news . . ." he finished lamely.
The young man rose from his chair and turned to go as Manny scurried around the edge of huge mahogany desk and, in a friendly manner, slapped the young man on the back as he walked him to the door.
"You just think about what I've told you," the man said, "and you'll see all the ways that our approach differs from what we are criticizing."
"Oh, and another thing," he yelled to the disappearing figure, "watch for our campus interviewer who will be recruiting soon with the other companies. Ours will be the one located just slightly to the left of IBM."
Kanan Telephone Numbers
Newsroom—UN 4-3646 Business Office—UN 4-4358
A student newspaper serving the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. Published at the University of Kansas daily during the academic year except holidays and examination periods. Mail subscription rates: $6 a semester, $10 a month. Postage palate: Lawrence, Kan. 66044. Accommodations, goods, services and postage paid for students without guard to color, creed or national origin. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of Kansas or the State Board of Regents.
Executive Staff
Executive Staff
News Adviser George Richardson
Advertising Adviser Mel Adams
Managing Editor Monte Mace
Business Manager Jack Haney
Assistant Managing Editors, Pat Crawford, Charla Jenkins, Alan T. Jones,
Steve Morgan, Allen Winchester
City Editor Bob Butler
Assistant City Editor Kathy Hall
Editorial Editor Alison Steimel
Editorial Assistant Richard Lundquist
Sports Editor Ron Yates
Assistant Sports Editor Bob Katsney
Feature and Society Editor Rea Wilson
Associate Feature Editor Sharon Woodson
Copy Chiefs Judy Dague, Linda McCrerey, Don Westerhaus, Sandy
Zahradnik, Marilyn Zook
Advertising Manager Mike Wilman
National Advertising Manager Kathy Sanders
Promotion Pam Flatton
Circulation Manager Jerry Bottenfeld
Classified Manager Barry Arthur
Member Associated Collegiate Press