4
Thursday. March 6. 1975
University Dally Kansan
KANSAN
Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the writers.
ominions of the writers.
Railroad blackmail
If you or I tried what the Penn Central and Rock Island railroads have been doing in recent days, we'd be arrested for extortion. But the railroads will likely end up with more money to mismanage away.
Penn Central, the nation's largest railroad line, threatened in February to shut down unless the federal government came up with emergency funds to meet the Penn Central payroll.
Because of the importance of Penn Central's freight hauling to the already troubled economy of the Northeast, this threat is important. If we don't get the money we'll shut down and really screw up the economy."
Penn Central got its money.
Indeed, Penn Central is eagerly awaiting passage of a House bill that will supply the bankrupt line with about $250 million more to keep it in governmental national, semi-governmental Conrail system takes over next year.
This week another railroad has gotten into the money grab. The Rock Island Line, not so mighty fine, has also threatened to shut down. After a $100 million loan deal with the U.S. Railway Association USRA through, Rock Island Line it would have shut off if its workers wouldn't accept a 10 per cent pay cut to help the line out of its financial binds.
If Rock Island goes through with its threats, the government, through the Interstate Commerce Commission, will likely arrange a subsidy program to keep the railroad
running. The subsidy would guarantee Rock Island a profit for eight months. This would give Rock Island an assurance of a profit, so the $100 million loan from the USRA would then go through. Nitty, huh? If you're a railroad executive.
What's the answer? Nationalize the rail lines that demand government aid. The lines have been mismanaged for years. Service has deteriorated, tracks and cars have been neglected to the point where derailments are as common as fender benders on an ice day. The financial pinch has been coming for years and the railroads have saved money by dropping track and equipment maintenance. The highpaid executives haven't been dropped.
The upshot is that the major railroads of this country can force almost at will the government to subsidize them, are to important to the economy to sit idle, and protect of shutdowns carry weight.
Government control of railroads isn't a pleasant prospect, but it beats constant giveaways to mismanaged corporations. Conservatives love to talk about welfare cheaters. Well, industry subsidies are the biggest welfare payments around. In the fashion of Lockheed, Penn Central and Rock Island are colossal welfare cheaters.
And you'll never see a bigger welfare Cadillac than that locomotive chugging down the tracks.
Craig Stock
Spring fever
Regardless of whether he be a Greek, GDI, in-state, out-of-state, graduate or undergraduate student, everyone on this campus is coming down with that most delightful disease, spring fever. It's in the air, no doubt about it. The symptoms of this annual plague can be found in his hair, in his eyes, in his or her afternoon on the front lawn of Strong Hall or at Potter's Lake rather than in Professor Grubnik's review session.
Those of you who have already experienced Jayhawk Boulevard in bloom know what I am referring to. The dogwoods turn white, then bright pink and eventually green. The sun turns brown and sniffing fresh air of spring can than dodging in buildings for protection from winter's evil forces
It will be great to see everyone molt their winter garb and don cutoffs, J.C. sandles, T-shirts of an infinite variety and whatever else
might be conducive to enjoying the best weather of the year. There is already talk of baseball season, sailing at Lake Perry, keg parties at the Sand Bar, tennis at Robinson's courts, outdoor concerts at Potter's, the Jayhawk Jamboree, the reappearance of frisbee games and a multitude of other events associate with another keeper. After considering with another Midwest winter there is every reason in the world to get psyched for the beautiful change of season that will occur in the weeks ahead.
Although it will be a drag to come back to school after spring break vacation, the return will be soothed by the presence of trees and plants in bloom and an abundance of warm weather. Enjoy yourselves during the spring break. And be prepared to encounter a University filled with people suffering the full effects of Spring Fever.
—Stephen Buser
Who needs February?
Back in 1946, as a young reporter covering the Virginia General Assembly, I tried to work up a constructive venture with a pixie legislator by the name of Lake Triplett. My boss wanted to have him sponsor a bill to abolish February.
The project never got off the ground. Triplett thought the idea allogher splendid, but he was then involved with his famous no-work bill. This was a bill to make it a felony in Ireland for an employee to engage in a useful occupation. The bill was favorably reported by the Committee on Retrenchment and Economy, but then was re-referred to Judiciary where, alas, it died. Two years later, an introduced a bill to regulate the depth of snow. I dismerse.
PLOWING THROUGH some old papers the day after, I came across a draft of the bill to abolish February. I am minded to offer it to Sen. Scoop Jackson, who seems to have run out of projects lately. The bill would add 14 days to April, six days to
Does February have a redeeming feature? The question answers well. Hidden in Ridley Mountains, the memory man of
May, five to October, and the other three or four by direction of the Speaker of the House. Do not oppose so humane a measure?
Washington was as miserable. he House of Representatives, demon- torous, took one look at February town. the President fled to Atlanta, thence to Houston. The snow turned to dirty slush. the storm saved time, and suddenly it
doesn't encompass a February bleaker than the one now happily conclude "From Friday to Sunday, Friday skies merely sulked; on Saturday and Sundays they wept. It snowed, it rained, it froze, and the house smelled of wet collies. The firewood wouldn't catch.
was dark again at 7 o'clock in the morning.
BUT NOW! NOW! With March at hand, the thermometer last week yawned and stretched and reached up to 70. The fields that yesterday were the color of old oatmeal are today awash with green. The first crocus popped up on
Tuesday, as purple and orange as college colors. In the rock garden, snowdrops are hanging like street lamps in a caterpillar first trist have appeared. The heat is showing new growth.
In January, as every gardener knows, hope is sustained by the seed catalogs. One heir compels you to buy. Now the packets of seed have arrived, bright with promise of melons amber and cucumbers jade. it will be another eight weeks, at least, before these can be grown. First February torn off the calendar; eight weeks can be endured.
Last month only the birds were moving. They fluttered in the feeders for breakfast—cardinals, juncos, tunic mice, songbirds, schoolboy sparrows. These are the regular winter lodgers at the local hotel. Now the resort crowd is streaming in. We have finches in Hawaiian shirts, owls in penguin blazers, a mockingbird strutting on a fence rail. Yesterday a bluebird arrived; he spent a
busy hour inspecting the several apartments for rent, and then signed a lease.
THE ANIMALS emerge. The other night six rabbits met in the vegetable garden, planning a spring attack. We have seen them, and we posepum. By dawn the air is delicately scented with the unmistakable eau de skunk. Twice we have watched a big dog come down the high meadow, twirling his cane and smoking a fat cigar.
If there is one flame to be found in this prospect of perfection, it comes with the blustering wind. The pines and hemlocks, up like troops in green fatigues, are doing calisthenics. The trees lean their branches as they leashes. We struggle down to the mailbox and get blank back up the hill. But let it blow! Who cares?
This is March! Hurray for Marchi! Given a better calendar, stripped off the February might have had all this a month ago.
Readers respond
To the Editor:
Rock Chalk philanthropic, not professional
Once again the Kansan has graciously provided the university community with a resource having our thinking done for us. We are referring to Monday's review, or should we say the weekend production of Rock Chalk Revue.
Again, as in innumerable years past, the staff member assigned to cover Rock Chalk showed a total ignorance of the market and with the annual shoddy revelation that consistently cut down a campus effort that each year gives a big financial boost to a worthy cause and provides a entertainment for the public. The choice of paying $3 for a seat is entirely up to the individual.
First, our objection isn't directed at Pothetes or anyone else's tastes. Nor do we intend to haggle about the judgers' opinion. That isn't the point. The reason is that no viable reason to hinder efforts of a philanthropic function by ignoring its purpose and arbitrarily judging it on professionalism. It isn't a matter of protection and was never properly protected. We might add that if the staff is determined to use this criterion for its reviews, the review itself
BECAUSE ONE can't argue with ignorance, the purpose of this letter is to enlighten the public about what goes on behind the scenes, if you'_pardon the pleton. Although we'_ll receive a number of hours to a past production, we had no active part of Rock Chalk this year—perhaps that makes us acceptably objective
ought to be of professional quality.
Perhaps we are being presumptuous, but whether the students of the 70s are any better or worse? They are highly questionable and irrelevant. (How old were you in 1950, Potheties? Whether Rock Chalk is as bad as Potheties' review is perhaps more questionable. But your arm, am, or get the facts straight.
ROCK CHALK is, instead, an opportunity for living groups to work together for a good cause and toward a creative end. The scripts, much of the music, the sets, costumes and dances are devoted to a theme devoted for a mere 20 minutes on stage measures literally in the hundreds of hours. Add to this the fact that most of the participants are fulltime students who aren't theatre-oriented, and it would seem that they wouldn't be going for it than Pothetes would have us think. High School Talent Night indeed!
Poor review
Susan Hild
Shawnee Mission Junior
Nancy Fleege
Overland Park Senior
To the Editor:
10 to the university. I have read many reviews in the Kansas in my two years at the University. Most have never descended below the level of mediocrity. But a new low was reached by Angela Pohetes in her review of Rock Chalk Revue.
I am always bothered by a reviewer who seems to be impressed with his own supposed cleverness. I was particularly annoyed with the flippant way in which Pohietes handed the Battenteen-Watkins Rock Chalk entry. "The team quite agree with her statement that they deserved an award, but her cheep suggestion about the award they deserved was unnecessary. The Battenteen-Watkins entry had many things wrong," she said. "It fine performances and a good, entirely original score."
POTETRES SEEMED to think the major flaws of the skit were a lack of flashiness and a script of subtitle comedy. She is certainly entitled to her opinions. But the potential for bias on this skit deserved more than her cheap comments.
Battiefeld and Watkins have no reason to be ashamed of their performance. I can't say the same for Pothotes.
Kevin Keating Great Bend Sophomore
Church angers
To the Editor:
This letter is directed mainly at Loretta Flanagan, whose verse-flinging nonsense appeared in Tuesday's Kansas.
I must admit that I hesitate to get involved in the abortion issue. I've heard some decent abortion arguments, but I'm not yet. The reason I am responding to this letter is that I become angry when the Bible freaks start in. Even when they are arguing for the side of the issue I regret their efforts to intrude.
I REGARD ABORTION as a social issue (society's choice vs. personal choice) not a religious
one, except on a personal level. The church has meddled in secular affairs much too often throughout history.
It is unfortunate that the Bible requests Christians to be responsible for their use isn't very appealing to me. I prefer reality and regard their self-entitlement fishing for myself as a muscuse of the worst kind.
PLEASE KEEP your religion
*wourselfes, where it belongs.*
The government takes away enough of our freedom without religion taking what's left. You are welcome, Loretta, to let your deity make all of your decisions, but don't try to drag her out. Don't. Consider the fact that many of us don't regard your sources as reliable.
Kenneth E. Kinman
Hoisington Special Student
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
An All-American college newspaper
Published at the University of Kansas weekdays
for undergraduate and graduate students. An
amination period. Second-class postpaid, paid at
Lawrence, Kan. 60045. Subscriptions to all masters are
$8.13 a semester, paid through the student activity
$1.13 a semester, paid through the student activity
Assistance-modified, goods services and employment programs that are not specifically designed to target the new agency's general purpose themed in the *Muskrat Agreement* for the federal government.
Editor
John Rike
Associate Editor John Pike Campus Editor Craig Stock Dennis Elsworth
Associate Campus Editor Carl Young
Campus Editors Alina Maze
Kennon Loomail
Chief Photographer Georgette McGaw
Sports Editor Mike Fitzgerald
Sports Editor Mike Fitzgerald
Associate Sports Editor Ken Stephens
Associate Sports Editor Ken Stephens
Debbie Gump Roy Chevenger
Copy Chiefs Bummer Milly Smith, Ruby Pickett,
Writers Edit Bette Haglason Tom Billiam
Contributing Writers John Brooks, Stephen Blauer
Photographers Rob Miller
Business Manager
Dave Reece
Advertising Manager - Assist in Business Manager
Deborah Arbeitson
Carolyn Howe
Classified Advertising Manager
Belle Lybsy Luke
Advertising Manager Gale Johnson
Assistant Advertising Manager
Assistant Advertising Manager
Gary Burch
Emotional Manager
Chelsea McKinney
Programmer
Mike Mollers
News Adviser Susanne Shaw
Business Adviser Mel Adams