UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kansan staff. Signed columns represent the views of only the Kansan staff.
October 31, 1979
Contract needs work
The University should not sit idle much longer in the current flare-up between the Custodian Action Comptroller and the American Management Services.
The committee has alleged that the contract the University has with AMS encourages it to terminate workers, especially those who have seniority, receive the highest pay and are handicapped. The CAC says that by reducing the number of employees—sometimes by harassing the custodians to quit—the AMS has increased its profit margin.
The University has agreed to discuss custodial complaints with the union, Kansas Public Service Employees and the KU lawfully represents the KU custodians.
But this simply is not enough.
As Gary Howe, assistant professor of sociology and a member of the CAC support group, has pointed out, the problem with the United States' University, not the union contract.
Besides, the CAC has been in contact
with the union many times in the past months, especially through individual grievance procedures, with little more detail. With the union is examining the contract.
In fact, the CAC was formed last August to research and document allegations of harassment because the union was not moving quickly enough to block a new AMS contract with the University.
But even more important, questions have been raised by the custodial committee that go beyond union negotiations—questions that concern possible violations of constitutional rights in an organization or formation of an employee organization.
University officials must take the initiative now to meet with the custodial committee to consider a new AMS program before legal action becomes warranted.
Without these revisions, the AMS may come to renew its contract with the University Dec. I having lost the respect it needs to manage.
People in college get used to believing textbooks. We read them and for the most part accept their theories, especially in economics,
The relationship of supply and demand in any given market is clear, the textbooks tell us. Actility in one is always reflected in the other. It's simple.
Textbooks say tight credit is remedy
But that simplicity doesn't make the recent trends in loan interest rates any more palatable.
IN THE PAST three weeks, the prime lending rate for business loans has risen twice and rests temporarily at a record 15 percent.
And recent actions by a Kansas state legislative committee follow the action that the prime lending rate trends usually are visited upon consumer loan interest rates.
Since the beginning of October, the availability of credit has radically decreased for both consumers and corporations, thereby the purchase of a house or a new project.
The Committee on Commercial and Financial Institutions has just finished drafting a bill that would repeal the state's current ceiling of 11 percent on home loan to determine interest rate levels. The interest rates are expected to climb.
Theoretically, this move to repeal the ceiling is an attempt to deal with the money required by the public to own its own, rate fluctuations will stabilize more naturally and quickly than they would under a previous system.
THE STATE legislative committee and the banks that raised their prime lending rates on behalf of the Federal Reserve Board earlier in October. The Fed, also acting on theory, initiated a stringent set of constraints to make it more expensive to lend money.
NEW YORK—I thought it would be a good idea to ask some children what they thought about "their year"—the International Year of the Child, I began by asking them how they were fortunately they were all cute, white, middle-class Upper East Siders whose responses were fairly predictable. So one humdain day in late June I took my tape recorder and list of questions to Central in search of a cross section of city kids.
THOSE WON'T were on the tire swamps or climbing concrete pyramids are hovering around a fall, thin man with a long neck, fresh jeans and a clean yellow undershirt.
I started at a playground across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and never go beyond it. Sprinkled among the narrow streets in bright French T-shirts was a group of kids who entered out of place, so they were dressed for dirt, scruffy and many of them scarred.
By PAMELA BLAFER LACK N.Y. Times Special Feature
"Yeah, they're their teacher," he told me. He is in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn on a rough neighborhood, very rough neighborhood. This is a special day for them. We're just here till 12:30 — then we're gone in park in the city. Then back to Bushwick.
Ghetto children call for peace hope for chance at good life
ERNESTINE, 13 years old.
"May I ask some of the kids what they think about the International Year of the Child?" I asked.
He chickened. "Yea, hum." You can ask them. But I doubt they ever heard of it, a time I took them off to a corner bench, and some of the things that I learned
Question: Do you know, Ernestine, that this is the International Year of the Child?
Answer: No
Q : What do you think that means?
A : I don't know.
Q: Well, it means that grown-ups all over the world are taking time out this
year to think about what can be done to help children. Now, can you tell me which children you think could use some help? Are there any kids you feel sorry for?
A. : my friends.
Q. : Your friends? Why?
A.: Cause their mothers abuse them
B.: Abuse them? In what way?
A. : Extension cords. Sticks. And tree branches.
Q. : WHAT DO your friends do to deserve this? Are they so bad?
A. : When they mother get angry, she takes it out on them.
A. : The girl's mother and father gets in a argument.
Q: Do you like where you're living?
A: No--too many things.
A. Yeah—yeah.
B. Do you know.
Q. : What's going on?
A. : No—too many things be goin' on around there.
A. : Shootin', trouble.
A. : Smooth , trouble.
Q. : What do you mean?
Q. : What do you mean?
A. Like with my friend
A.: LIKE WHAT I MY FRIEND?
Q.: YOUR FRIEND?
A : Well, my friend—her mother told her to go to the store about 10 a night and they were shootin' out—and she went outside and they shed him.
A: who shot her?
A: Some gangsters.
Q: Is she all right?
A: No--she got killed.
Q: What did that happen?
A: Couple a weeks ago.
Q: What was her name?
A: Christina.
Q: How old was she?
A: Thirteen.
**WHY DO you think there's so much trouble?**
A. : Really, if they would break up the gangsters there wouldn't be no trouble around where I live.
Q. : What kind of life do kids want to have?
Q: What's a nice life to you, Ernestine?
A: When you don't get killed. You could
A. : Anice life
go outside and don't be abuse by your parents.
Jerry 11 years old
Q: How are you enjoying your childhood?
the problem in Kansas will have similar stabilizing results; the textbook tells us so.
A: It's all right — like to have peace,
nausea, cause sometimes be a lot of killin'
around my block. Like somebody
gated hung yesterday around my block.
It may be perfectly logical to repeal ceilings on interest rates, at some point, people will have to take into account the next several months, loans will be increased to obtain, and if the Commercial and Financial Institutes Committee proposal is enacted into law, home loans for recent college students will be nearly impossible to obtain.
A: Yesh. He was gain' in a cellar and then some owner came and unm--hung him on a building. You could see him
A: Yes. I bee tell me his name is Mama. And he was close to me. And when I came downstairs I saw that he was hangin' on the bed. A lot of people a lot of people saw him in my building.
Q. : YOU SAW him? You saw him hanging there?
A. : Yeah. Everybody saw him. He in back a the building, I think they took him down.
Q. : You knew this man?
To tighten the money situation, the Fed has imposed higher reserve requirements on some liabilities and placed tighter controls on the growth of bank reserves.
But if the market readjusts itself and interest rates stabilize, then lending and housing restrictions will become easier to use as we hope that the textbooks aren't lying.
More attention, however, needs to be given to developing an automobile that is more energy efficient but no jeopard-
Q. : Do you think that things could be better?
A: Nope. Because—umm—we live in different directions and you don't know what can be 'built' on in another direction—or why, for instance, killin' around—the 'killin' where you go.
A. : Nah.
O. : No2
mellissa
thompson
This sounds very obscure and complicated to those of us with scant economic knowledge, but suffice it to say that the experts call it an anti-inflationary measure.
Q. : WHAT DO you hope for yourself, for your future?
Although some models such as the Ford Pinto offer relatively good mileage, they are not especially expensive. People are wary of buying these cars because they want a car that won't fail under heavy loads.
Greater emphasis should be placed on the production of cars that have better and
A. I hope that I get a better livin' than I am getting' now.
I thanked the kids, walked back home and sat for a long time. The Year of the Child—it means nothing to the kids from P.S. 147, and why should it? It isn't for them. Benefits won't be held in their honor. Funds won't be raised on their behalf. They won't need, neatly enough, "Third World" enough. I know they know it, and they're scared.
The Fed's rationale, say the experts, is to curb inflation by curbing the rapid ex-
pension or the basic money supply. Quick expansion of this basic money supply the company will cause it puts more money into circulation on its goods and services output can be a boost.
But even at the current mandated figure for American cars, the auto industry is up at arms saying that the goal can't be reached by 1885 because they need more time. But compensation that oil supplies are limited and construction is not doing so has granted without creating more problems.
In an attempt to force automakers to produce fuel-efficiency cars, Congress mandated that manufacturers had to make a minimum fuel rating of 7.5 miles per gallon by 1985.
As gasoline prices rise and oil reserves are drained changes will have to come to the fore in the short term, as well as economical. But the automobile industry still has on schedule the production of the liquids it needs — the laxures it tells us we can't live without, plus an increased 15 miles-per-gallon fuel rate.
THE FED'S rationale also is the state legislative committee's rationale.
dize the public well-being. And this attention needs to be given now.
Back then, that figure might have seemed exorbitantly high. But today, it seems almost too low.
Gas-guzzling cars should go
Pamela Blafer Lack, a writer and actress, will soon have her first child.
MANY FOREIGN automakers already have produced cars that get better than the gasoline-powered Volkswagen. The entire Volkswagen fleet has reached that goal already, with the diesel Rabbit getting a boost.
Most of the American public has come to realize that the country is faced with a serious energy crisis that will have a great impact on its way of life.
Apparently this tightening has been well-received so far by two economic markets. The market has had no adverse reaction to the bank's lending rate and traders on the usually capricious foreign exchange seem to have been excited as a sign of U.S. determination to fend off
In particular, the energy crush already has just hit the motorist. After a summer of warmer weather, consumers lines and higher prices, consumers are more aware of conservation, including ways to reduce carbon emissions.
Apparently the government and the public are willing to make some concessions and allow them to design their design. Now it is up to the automakers to take advantage of these challenges quickly and responsibly.
It is too bad that automakers are not following the consumers' lead.
Perhaps the legislators' attempts to fight
cleaner running engines, such as the diesel or steam engines, and that are more efficient to run, such as smaller and lighter engines.
"It's time for industry and government to stop butting heads on everything and to start working together for the future."
John COLUMNIST fischer
And the government is eager to work with the automakers to produce a more efficient car. For example, the government seems willing to relax some regulations so the automakers can concentrate their efforts on improving the safety rules rather than on meeting the regulations.
TRUE, MANY people are reluctant to buy a car without a comfortable and spacious interior or a gas-guzzling powerful engine, but you can afford it with just pay two or three dollars a gallon for gas.
Realizing the bleak future of the current inefficient car, Brock Adams, Secretary of Transportation dropped on the age of internal combustion engine, as is, and the fact is that we have
Violators deserve fines
To the Editor·
I have just read John Logan's article in the I have just read John Logan's article in the 24. Kansan was titled "KU parking service losing popularity contest," and Paul Wren, who has been a resident of Kansan. A week or so ago, Bill Combs wrote a letter to the editors in which he expressed his anger about cars being ticketed on West Side streets.
The authors of both the article and the letters admit that cars are being parked in front of our homes, and anger because they need to get tickets. Do any of these people stop to think how we may purchase停车 permits to feel have to wait? Or overrun with cars that don't belong there?
But no matter how the controversy about ticketing revolves, the fact remains that issuing tickets does not solve the problem. I have a friend who is assigned to the Westcoast parking area. If cars were towed away, perhaps the people who park illegally would think twice about breaking rules in the future. One can be lifted off the ground and obeying other laws and regulations as well. Rules are made for everyone and I have no sympathy for the John Logans, Paul Passmans and Bill Combs of the world who because they are cracking these rules.
ANOTHER SUGGESTION would be to move the courtesy booth (no longer in use) from O Zone to the access road behind it. To do this, you must permit it if transportation by private vehicles is so essential. Perhaps if they had the experience not finding parking spaces in their assigned lots they would feel difficult to situation. The shoe would be on the other foot.
I work in Wesco Hall and have a blue park permit which should allow me to park immediately behind that building. I walk across the street at 1:00 p.m. is quite another matter. The stails (including the space reserved for the handicapped) more often than not are filled with cars that are illegally parked behind buildings, our trainers, I presume eat in the cafeteria.
Mr. Lagan is correct when he says that we are not a校校会 school… most of the time, it’s a competition. KU has an excellent bus system which serves the many apartment complexes in town and can also bike or bike to campus; they can buy bus passes (this could be cheaper than paying for a car).
TIME AFTER time I have phoned the Campus police to complain about this situation and have been told that they are waiting for me. My cars "right now". Mr. Combs would have us believe the police have converged on West Campus to ticket violators there before we were on their own backyard. This kind of aggression, not only is frustrating and aggravating, but the inconvenience of searching for an empty spot in an alternate blue zone causes me to go to the campus police point is that I have paid an outrageous amount for the privilege of parking in an authorized area, and that privilege is being ignored. I have no respect for rules and regulations.
Parking is on ongoing problem at KU and one that apparently is not resolvable. Some universities ford an student parking on the campus, and Parking areas several levels high. O Zone and X Zone areas would be ideal for this type of construction. Perhaps KU might
1
Barbara M. Paris
Barbara M. Parts Administrative Assistant Department of English
UNIVERSITY DAILY letters KANSAN
Coverage welcomed but accuracy needed
To the Editor:
On behalf of the Libertarian Alliance, would like to thank you for your coverage of our Oct. 23 meeting with guest speaker Milton Mueller (Liberitarian condensation draft policy, Oct. 24). A budding political organization needs all the publicity it can get to grow and thrive and to attract those who reasoned and conscientious political alternative.
I'm sure no one, however, would regard a political philosophy as reasonable if it did not involve national defense. And so I was disappointed the article asserting that the group (Students for Israel) should be at Abbasian Armed Services Day. In fact, as part of its continuing opposition to the draft, SLS has set Nov. 15 "Abasian Service Day," a rather different proposition.
Libertarians hold, as their fundamental principle, that no person or agency has the right to initiate the use of physical force against anyone else. We cannot, try as we do, to govern ourselves. The government assuring enslavement of its own citizens (via the draft) as a protection against the possibility some other government might enslave them (via conquest). And so we, as libertarians, fight an all-out war, all of which brings me to my next point.
The Kansan also reported that "Mussel said an all-village army was not an equitable solution to the draft because it forced a disproportionate number of minorities and poor people to work in unreasonably high unemployment rates."
What Mr. Muller said in full context was that the present make-up of the all-volunteer army, in terms of ethnic groups, was not equitable, because government officials were forced to cause unemployment and so forced a disproportionate number of minority and
poor people to join the army as their only alternative. Given that your reporter believed Mr. Mueller favored abolishing the army, he was wrong. The quoted statement came out the way it did.
Also, Mr. Mueller did not say that "if the United States had not had all-volunteer armed services for the last four years, the United States would have intervened militarily in Nicaragua, and Angola." He said the United States might have so done to the situation that Mr. Mueller's sensible statement into a ridiculously presupose one.
Finally, on a more trivial level, the poor girl's name is Milton McUller, not Martin McUller. Her self-impression is not newnhatstanding. I would again like to thank her, on behalf of the Alliance, for you.
Mike Doffing Wichita Senior
Green Hall needs new statue, not old
To the Editor:
it seems that Elden Tefft '10-foot sculpture of Moses must not only inspire him but also show where he will look daily upon this magnum work of art, but might also simulate the School of Law people to consider complements to complement the new Green Hall
To this outsider, the whole controversy over whether to drape the present sculpture in gold has been long established and planned setting down the hill to the new building seems glaringly out of place.
Surrey the Law School and its farlanging and successful alumni could come up with a more creative plan than quietly waiting for the right opportunity to make the matter, so that on one dark night old Jimmy Green can be sneaked down the hill to see what happens if a duck in a desert in not of the building.
Rex R. Powell Route 5
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