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University Daily Kansan
Campus/Area
Thursday, Oct. 10, 1985
Trade changes needed, official says
By Bengt Ljung Of the Kansan staff
Industry in the United States must become more internationally oriented because the national market won't support it in the future, a deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Commerce said yesterday.
"The old textbook of how to succeed in business doesn't apply anymore," said Crawford Brubaker, the deputy assistant secretary.
The international economy was unstable after the oil crisis of the 1970s, he said. International trade now is complicated by high interest rates and a debt crisis among the Third World countries.
Brubaker, who is secretary for aerospace trade development, spoke to about 70 people in the Conference Room of the Burge Union on the effects of international trade on the U.S. economy. His speech was part of the Executive Lecture Series sponsored by the School of Business
Advances in communication and transportation technologies have increased the ability and profits of exporting, he said.
To compete better internationally, U.S. industry has to learn to market its products better and adjust its quality and design standards to the world market, Brubaker said.
Pushing President Reagan's new trade policy, announced two weeks ago. Brubaker said the policy would increase exports, fight protectionism and reduce the value of the overvalued dollar.
On Sept. 23, Reagan asked Congress for authority to negotiate lower trade barriers abroad. He announced the creation of a government strike
force to find, counter and eliminate cases of unfair trade practices. Reagan's Trade Policy Action Plan also included a proposed $300 million fund for loans to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods.
Bruhaker said Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldridge had advocated this strategy for three years.
But Brubaker said he thought more needed to be done. The deficit and domestic spending has to be reduced by cutting back on entitlements. The value of the dollar needs to sink to its true maximum to open foreign markets and make U.S. industry more competitive.
computer. Brubaker said three kinds of entitlement programs, both national and international, prevented fair trade. He said fair trade was when a company charged the same price in
the domestic and international markets.
Americans think they are entitled to extensive social programs and nobody wants to give up their benefits, Brubaker said. The result is the budget deficit, high interest rates and an overvalued dollar, he said.
Brubaker said Americans also expected government protection against foreign competition. He said the world supremacy of U.S. industry that Americans became accustomed to in the 1950s and 60s was unnatural. Instead, he added, while other nations were rebuilding after World War II, he said.
Brubaker said protectionist measures in developing countries also hurt fair trade. Every country wants to have a surplus in trade with the United States.
Eviction cloud over Pinecrest evaporates
By Theresa Scott
Of the Kansan staff
Residents of Pinecrest Apartments — including several KU students — were able to sleep soundly last night knowing that they were no longer threatened with eviction from their homes.
Gene Shaughnessy, the city's chief building inspector, said yesterday that building code violations at the apartment complex, 2565 Redbud Lane, had been satisfactorily corrected before yesterday's 5 p.m. deadline.
"They have taken care of the problems we were concerned with — the major ones," Shaughnessy said. "They still have to clean up and trim up some details."
The violations the building inspection office considered most important included faulty gas lines, furnaces and hot water heaters, deficient or nonexistent flues, poor hallway lighting, and stairways without hand ratings, Shaughnessy said.
He said minor building code violations, such as "haphazardly" installed switches, inadequate clearance in front of meters, and non-existent cover plates on receptors, should be corrected by Oct. 21 or 22.
"We will continue to monitor the complex with spot checks," he said.
Stephen H. Sherwood, president of Anchor Properties, the managing agent of the apartment, said all the improvements had been made to satisfy the owner's agreement with the city. He said no electric meters would be removed as the city had threatened earlier.
If electric meters were removed, the tenants would have to vacate their homes.
"Mr. Shaughnessy was pleased," Sherwood said after Shaughnessy inspected the property late yesterday afternoon. "We have done what he asked us to do."
We have done what he asked us to do.
Sherwood said he would meet today with the owners of the apartment complex, Pinecrest Investors Limited Partnership, Kansas City, Mo., to discuss improvements that still be made.
David Jampolsky, Miami law student, lives in one of the apartment units that was renovated during the summer. About half of the apartments were renovated then. Jampolsky said. Renovations on the other half of the apartments were started later but were not completed.
Prestigious award given for activities
By a Kansan reporter
A gold Congressional Award recently was given to a KU medical student for his community service work, making him the first Kansan to receive the honor.
Kevin Hoppock, a first-year medical student from Wichita, accepted the gold medal Sept. 26 at a ceremony in Washington, D. C. He was one of 115 people who received the award.
"It was very exciting, a neat opportunity." Hoppock said vester.
The award is the highest civilian honor by Congress for achievements by youth. People ages 20-23 who devote at least 400 hours to community service and other activities receive the gold medal.
day. "I got to spend some time with my senators and congressmen."
Hoppock said he devoted most of 1,795 hours of service to the Boy Scouts, various organizations at Wichita State University and his church, Beth Lif Life Center.
He said one of the highlights was working as lodge chief for the Order of the Arrow, a Boy Scout organization. While he was lodge chief, about 800 young men from the eastern third of Kansas were under his leadership
The medal, which is twice the size of a silver dollar and is stamped with the the Capitol and the American eagle, was presented to Hoppock in a Capitol hall ceremony.
Dean has new chores
Bv a Kansan reporter
The responsibilities of the dean of the University's division of continuing education have been expanded to those of associate vice chancellor for off-campus programs, and student affairs said yesterday.
Robert Senecal, dean of the continuing education, will be responsible for university credit classes at all off-campus locations, such as
the Regents Center in Overland Park and the Capitol Complex in Topeka
Senecal has been dean of continuing education since 1980. Before that he was associate dean of continuing education. He also was associate director of Statewide Academic Extension and coordinator of federal programs for the State Education Commission before joining KU.
- Twilight Bargain Show