UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kanasian editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of the editors. Let Rock Island die It's going to be somewhat like an Irish wake the day the Rock Island Railroad is officially declared dead. The Rock Island has been dying a slow financial death. It is only by the life-support system of the Kansas City Terminal Railway Co. that it is alive now—and that day of joyous mourning is not far away. The Interstate Commerce Commission is conducting hearings in 17 cities along the Rock Island route, including Topeka, Phillipsburg and Wichita, to see how residents feel about another rail service on the old Rock Island rails. IF THE RESPONSE from residents who attended the Topeka and Phillipsburg hearings earlier this week is any indication, the Rock may be on the way out. Western Kansas farmers are dependent on the railway for transportation of their goods, but the KCT has not been allied of the old Rock Island routes. Farmers throughout the state say that they want the service back, that trucking their foodstuffs to market is just not economical. Gov. John Carlin, who spoke at the Topeka hearing, echoed the farmers' sentiment. "While Kansas shippers are disenchanced with the Rock Island railroad, we are committed to the absolute necessity of having service," Carlin said. RAIL SERVICE to Kansas farmers is, indeed, vital. Hopeably, the hearings today in Wichita will re-emphasize what was so strongly said in Topeka and how it might affect whether they do, though the Rock Island death seems to be drawing ninth. The 60-day period during which the KCT was asked to operate the Rock Island ends Dec. 3, and the ICC wants should be extended for six more months. The response from Kansas is no-let the Rock Island die. The Rock Island was once a great rail line, but it will never be the second life until it finally gives in to death. Senators not swayed by pre-printed letters In many people's eyes, a congressman or senator is a creature with no heart, no eyes and no ears. They are creatures who articulate about as effectively as a pillar of stone. That caricature is a fairly apt indication of the responsiveness that many voters feel from their elected representatives. But that lack of responsiveness may have some origin in an unwillingness to communicate. In other words, maybe elective representatives find it hard to be responsive because of their own limitations. AND A PARTICLE of that unwillingness is evident in the mass mailings of preprinted postcards with which various interest groups deluge congressmen. It could be argued that mass mailings demonstrate the size or volume of sentiment sent, but that the amount may be true, but is that a valid substitute for more personal, thoughtful communication to clients. In fact, it could be bad strategically for a group with a valid cause to resort to a preprinted onusight for the simple reason that dessertmen do not like getting fab-ap opinions. Congressmen have a variety of responses to these mailings. Some think that if their constituents in form in letters, then they should justified in sending back a form response. THE MAILING of 3,000 postcards from Lawrence this week by the National Abortion Rights Action League prompts this comment. The NWA's goal is valid and its cause important, but its bibbing loses some power. That is why so important in an abortion issue. The passion and intensity that NARAL members feel does not come across in a pre-pressed postcard. Others are irritated by the voters' lack of melissa thompson COLUMNIST thompson thought and tend to consider the opinions on the cards in a less positive light. And still others get mad because the original writers of the message may be ill-informed. In the act of persuading these voters to change their behavior, the markers may be perpetuating false information. GROUPS THAT organize these mailings regularly could be accused of inspiring insurrectionists. We write the National Write Your Congressman Club,印公, prints ballots for its members that have a listing of several issues such as inurectionism and gun control. There is even a blank at the top of the ballot where members fill in the last name of their representative. It's a pseudo-tenancy. Club members simply check the areas they are most concerned about, sign their names and drop them in the mail. Representation by multiple choice. It's unfair for voters to expect more responsiveness from representatives if they themselves do little more than put a check by the issue that concerns them the most. SO WHAT if 100 people in the hinterlands are concerned about fuel conservation? If those 100 people don't give their representative some indication of what kind of gas they are most interested in, they probably will be buried by any policy the government devices. Constituents may underestimate the power of voter mail, and it too bad because they are not always willing to think. Often one letter that indicates an investment of time and thought is worth sharing. Even though it was expected, the news last week still came as a shock. Like machine-gun fire, the announcements came over the radio and in print. Nike had 21 percent; Standard Oil 191 percent; vwco, 134 percent; Mobil, 131 percent; representing the percentage change in third quarter profits by the oil companies Oil executives quickly paraded by in national review, each trying to tell the country that big profits were good for America. A bitter, disillusioned public sat at home, looked up from television to the news, lying around their homes and grew ill. THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN AND WITH good reason. The American people have grown sick and tired of being taken by the oil companies. The latest headlines about the climate may drive the nation to take drastic action. Obviously these are difficult times. The oil industry was only able to make a 200 percent increase in profits from the same period last year. In December of last year, the House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee ordered U.S. Steel to Mobil and Shell were deliberately underproducing unleaded gasoline to drive prices up. Earlier this year, the House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee discovered that by overcharging for crude oil, the major companies had reaped at least $2 billion in extra profits during the crisis. USFS 69-60-60. Published at the University of Kansas daily August through May and Thursday and Tuesday, June and July except Saturday, January and September. Second-class postpaid帖付 at Lawrence, Kansas 6906. Subscriptions by mail are $13 for one month or $74 in Douglas County and Kansas, each year a calendar date. Student subscriptions are $4 a semester. The student activity fee is Huge oil profits not free enterprise Add to that such well-documented schemes as the buying of cheap American oil by phony middens, who then sell it to Postmaster: Send changes of address to the University Daily Kansan, Flint Hall; The University of Kansas, Lawrence; SK6045 Consider this: These profits are from a quarter during which the oil companies may not have a difficult time in some of the history. So difficult were the times, they said that they had to raise gasoline price twice and they would have cut times that the oil companies had to cut back allocations, forcing dealers to close early and ration supplies, creating long THE IS just the latest example of what is turning out to be a continuous series of abuse by the oil oligopoly. rate of 6.5 percent, plus the amount the user has had to work on. Perhaps there are hidden calculations involved, but it would take a tremendous increase in volume to boost 6.5 percent to the required level. Mary Heck | Editorial Editor Managing Editor Nina Demarest | Mary Prentz Campaign Editor | Tim Sueberry Associate Campaign Editor | Phil Garcia Associate Campus Editors | Lori Leinert Associate Managing Editor | Bill Frazier Special Section Editor | Bill Frazier Associate Short Edition | Tay Farfee Campaign Editor | Dana Miller Special Section Editor | Brent Schander, Breeda Wilson Makeup Editor | Callie Goodwin, Cydhagh Russell Work Environment Editor | Rhoda Holloman Entertainment Editor | Lynet Devczykni, John LaTeche Work Environment Editor | David Freudenberg, Michael Thompson Skill Writers | David Eddle, Dave Horton, Melissa Thompson Photographers | David Eddle, Dave Horton, Melissa Thompson Editorial Lead Manager | Jeff Harring, Jeff Harring, Barken Kimby, Chris Todd Staff Artists | Jan Calcaterra, Skip McGrath BEHIND ALL the uproar, oil company executives are crowing about their record profits. To knock them, they say, is to denigrate the great American right to be involved in the profits is criticism of the free enterprise system, even of America itself, they say. Cynthia Hay Botanical Sales Manager Vincent Croust National Sales Manager Carl Nielsen National Sales Manager Cathy Crandall Assistant Certified Manager Susan Trellis Associate Certified Manager Allen Reynolds Administrative Manager Kent Geller Staff Photographer Kent Geller Staff Photographer Phil Rosier Teacher/Manager Phil Rosier Sales Representative Cheri Barr, Justin Bouman, Pam Davis, Ronald Reppong Sales Representative Sandy Glenbaugh, Elaina Stratton, Kathryn Faye Gewardwiger Jay Zwegwinger General Manager Advertising Agent No one is denying the right of the oil companies to make a profit. That is what they are in business for. But 200 percent isn't profit. It's ripe. big oil companies as foreign oil at inflated OIPEC prices, and it becomes clear that the big oil companies have absolutely no control over the American manipulating the American to gain profits. percentage of crude oil and refining costs. that ruling will put an extra $5 billion into the pockets of the oil companies by the end of the year. But the government has finally said out that oil companies will be stable. Stability has demanded that 20 of the nation's largest oil companies provide information on their most recent profits and 10 years of the money out whether the oil companies have violated the president's voluntary wage law. John COLUMNIST fischer PERHAPS unwittingly, the government has been a big boon to the oil companies in the past year. In March, President Carter announced that he would tack on the price of gasoline an extra Under those guidelines, the oil companies agreed to abide by a special antinflation standard that limits growth in profits from a base quarter to an annual The residents do not object to Greeks entering the residence hall system. What they do object to is a particular group being ST. TWIN 2018 COLLINS ST. 854-354-6080 SIMULATE ENSEMBLE CINEMA 1 "LOVE MATER" "I LOVE YOU" "TERRIBLE BALLY" ST. TWIN To the Editor It is true enough, as Julie Neal pointed out in her letter of Oct. 26, that when one is contracting for space in a residence hall, "it is not realistic to think that everyone occupying space in the halls is this point, ideal living associates." This point, with Mr. Neal, will be with KU resident objections to buildings the pledges of Alpha Omicron FI sorgity. AOPi shouldn't get housing privileges Dawn Bryant Liberty, Mo., sophomore To the Editor: KU must accept housing of AOPi I am not a member of Alpha Omicron Pc I, am not Greek, I am not involved in the Association of University Residence Halls. I am not at the hall at KU, the decision regarding housing placement of Alpha Omicron Pc makes it more difficult to watch, the controversy surrounding the situation with great interest, some concern and an adjustment. Here are my observations: The University of Kansas is a forum for almost every type of ethnic, religious, political and social way of life, and compromise is necessarily a factor here. Since the decision to house AFI plus has been their adult acceptance of the fact would be in order. Apparently, there is a triangle of organizations involved in the decision. Each organization will try to turn over a dorm floor to AOI for the 81 stermens, think that they must honor their promise to AOI and also respect the rights of their residents, on the other hand, think that "the setting of a sorority within a residence hall would compromise the uniqueness of the community." REGARDING Patricia Dziudurer's dad to the editor in which she asks if AOPs is "open" within their organization, "what are the 'other possibilities' for these girls? Where can they go?" Most of the 50 girls that have resided here, where are their "rights"? They have pledged a University degree and now University halls deny them support. THE CONTROVERSY between AOPI, residence halls and University officials, and the almost immediate protest of hall security officers during disbanding of University values. If contributing more students to the already overcrowded housing situation is the long-range goal of the AURH, then their arguments are commendable. The housing community has formed sorority and an absence of eager pledges come January will effectively discourage AOPs and probably any other group interested in establishing homes here. The allegation that allowing the fleeing sbority to occupy a hall floor will set "dangerous" precedents for other fraternal and sorceries is ridiculous. Concerns over the track record in regard to housing, what other Greek organization would want to try? given preferential treatment. Many people affiliated with the Greek system also believe that if they are not quite welcome if they enter the residence halls as other people do, without demanding payment. The AOPIs are asking for an entire room to be contracted for their exclusive use. Why is this surrender being guaranteed space before the residents who are currently renting the room are returning? At present, current residents, as well as those newly contracting for space in a particular hall next year, are not guaranteed the floor, room or roommate that they ask for. The contract states only that their wishes will be respected if possible. This particular sorority, then, appears to ask for special treatment when it comes to academic concessions for academic reasons—such as a quiet floor or a graduate floor—are not so readily accorded. Mary Dellasega Assistant instructor Speech and drama and 11 others We agree with Neal that when you contract to live in a residence hall, you cannot expect "deal living associate" it. It seems, however, that this is exactly what the AOPs are particularly interested in; it is a particular residence hall and a particular floor to accommodate their members. If the AOPs want to live in the residence halls, they should discard the inappropriate notion of setting up their own floor as a sorority house. If they enter the system as other incoming residents do, they may or may not find themselves living next to them are Grekes; they may or may not be provided with roommates of their choice. Decontrol only part of railroad's answer To the Editor: John Fischer's statement that railroad deregulation is necessary is quite correct. However, there are two important reservations to be made. First, the abandonment of unprofitable services, individual politicians' disburances of funds, and other factors effectively negates the benefits. But even if deregulation did work as planned, the industry would not accidentally spring back to pre-capitalization levels. Railroad management puts much of its energy into preserving a system it understands, even though it is no longer used for the railroad. 'railroad' innovations, such as piggback, jumbo grain hoppers, etc., were developed by shipments. Performance is nearly nonexistent. Moving freight faster means more cargo in less time, and high as 20 mph in the next few years. Cooperation is also in short supply. Industry infighting over mergers, AMtrak, interline front against external problems such as barges, trucks and regulation. Official statements are generally limited to comment on 'our hands are tied.' By whom? RAILROAD UNIONS have resisted work rules change that would benefit both the industry and the workers. "Productivity" is rarely mentioned in contract negotiations. UNIVERSITY DAILY letters KANSAN "Job protection" is, which usually translates into the railroads carrying literally thousands of literally useless workers. The detriment to the railroads is undeniable. The detriment to the railroads is undeniable. Whatever the reasons, roadshows don't perform, which is reflected in the industry average return of about two cents on the ground. The return is high there, and rightfully so. Which leaves government of the "$1 billion subsidy" mentioned by Fischer, about half goes to those who are moving goods and little to do with moving people), while the rest is inadequate for the work to be done. But it is more politically important than that. In the programs. Government, in spite of its announced intentions, is doing little to help the roads back into a position to attract In this industry, more than many others, the saying is true: "It takes money to make money." It also takes creativity. And cooperation. None of which are available in large amounts. Dereception will hopefully erode it. You can show they will figure that out for themselves. Jim Cartwright Jim Cartwright St. Louis, Mo.. Senior Kansan should use term spokesperson To the Editor: I have been very pleased to see the number of articles concerning women's rights and empowerment eagerly began to read the article titled "Women Advised to Built Credit" (Kansan, Oct. 29), had got to the second session of the Women's Resource Center, graduated assistant in the Emily Taylor Women's Resource and Career Center, was a spokesman. I am quite certain that Nancy Judy Browder, Coordinator University Information Center I understand that it is policy in the School of Journalism editing classes and on the Kansan to use the terms "chairman," "editor," or "president." It is absolutely no excuse for continuing this policy. It is a discount to women and an example of old-fashioned and inaccurate journalism. Isn't it about time to use the term "editor" in journalism to catch up with the times? It was 1979. Elizabeth C. Banks To the Editor: Bookstore's cookies sweeten its failings Your correspondence of recent days has issued a notice to the Union Bookkeepers that they be 'fair' to them; things they do very well—after all, no where is a better place for them. Your fine note of Exchange Farm crops Elizabeth C. Banks Associate professor of classics Kansan should give more for the money To the Editor: In an effort to curb this invasion of ersatz journalism; We, the members of the Coalition for a Responsible and Acceptable Paper are not trying to unify attack the students against our journalism. A student-funded paper the UDK should give its readers journalism that is responsible and applicable to its audience (and automatic subscribers) As a student-censorship reporter, Dally Kansas needs to give the students that付 for it something for their investment. We have never read such an irrational, irresponsible, and trivial piece of "journalism" as the University Daily Kansas, "The Need for Journalism," crowds to the boxes containing the UDK, we are always applauded by the pointless editors' "Blackouts," the Need for Journalism, consists of stretched quotations ("Bennett Eyes Senate Seat"), banal collections of former students remembrances ("Hertia") and articles on the importance of articles with no news value ("Harvard Success Stories Never Vary"), "Slimstaffs Class Offers Exercise," friendship To Cheerleaders, articles Curtis D. Reynolds M.D. Anderson Olathe freshmen EDITOR'S NOTE: The preceding letter was printed exactly as submitted to the Kansas Each KU student pays $2 through their student activity fees each semester for a subscription to the Kannan. Those student activity fees represent percent of the Kannan's operating costs. Letters Policy The University Daily Kansan welcomes letters to the editor. Letters may be typewritten, double-spaced and not exceed 250 words, including the writer's name, address and telephone number. If the writer is affirmed in the letter, the should include the writer's class and home town or faculty or staff position. The Kansan reserves the right to edit letters until they are delivered personally or mailed to the Kansan newsroom, 112 Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit letters for publication.