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Tuesday, November 5,1974
University Daily Kansan
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
"DON'T WORRY, DEAR-SPOT WILL GET WHATEVER IS LEFT AFTER DINNER."
Inflation
Some lucky Americans can still cope with this business of paying 50 cents for a pound of beef or $1.99 for a pound of runcoat,
Almost simultaneously, Paul W. McCracken, an adviser to Ford and former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, was telling Washington reporters that inflation pressures already are easing, but there is a recession, and that the Ford administration would be ill-advised not to admit it.
But can anybody stomach the babel of confusion we’re getting from government about what’s wrong with the economy?
The stock market starts another dive because of what analysts call "mounting fear of a severe recession." But Treasury Secretary William E. Simon warns a New York audience that inflation, not recession, is the nation's "trophic crisis," and says an attempt to "stimulate economic activity now would intensify rather than solve our problems."
Some critics are asking why Ford is running around the country making political noise. He's said Washington to deal with the
President Gerald R. Ford tells a press conference that this country is not in a recession. Federal Reserve chairman Arthur Burns says we are in a recession.
Government in babel of economic confusion
Ford has been blunt when he should have been more subdued. When asked about the CIA's role in the Chilean coup, Ford said the CIA's activities were in the best interests of the Chilean people. Ford defended the CIA's presence in Chile by saying that, historically, governments had engaged in undercover operations to protect their own interests. Furthermore, he said, the Communist nations had long engaged in similar activities to further their own ends.
Ford marked by indecisiveness
When domestic tranquility has called for a decisive president, Ford has been indecisive. When the nation needed strong measures to heal a sick economy, Ford offered an economic program that was little more than a placebo. Sen. Walter Mondale, D-Minn., referring to the WIN button, said, "The button should have said PUNT."
President Gerald R. Ford, when he announced the pardon of former President Richard M. Nixon, said, "My conscience says it is my duty to ensure that we have the capability, but to use every means I have to insure it."
Despite his words, however, Ford hasn't seen to show much concern for domestic tranquility.
Ford's campaign trips around the country
Worst of all, Ford has said disturbing things when silence would have been better. After violence erupted in South Boston, Ford said he thought a court-ordered busing plan wasn't the best solution for Boston schools. He didn't have to say that. His statement, coupled with his own courtroom coach made him realize that Boston to restore order, may have encouraged further outbreaks of violence.
In his speech at Greenville, S.C., Ford said, "We have a party controlling the Congress today and we are the national legislative process for 38 out of the last 42 years and for the past 20 straight years."
Whether he likes it or not, Ford will face a strongly Democratic Congress for the next two years. He must be aware of that. If the President is as concerned about insuring domestic tranquility as he says he is, one must seriously question his judgment in acting the way he has.
"It is a Congress, in my judgment, that is stacked against fiscal responsibility. And if they the Democrats) increase their power instead of lose, if they multiply their strength, let me just make one observation: With a veto-progress Congress of the kind of membership they will get, tighten their seatbelts, folks. They will spend the dome of the Canitol right off Capitol Hill."
—Glenn Meyer
provide the most recent example of how the President has acted to disrupt domestic tranquility. Ford's abilities as a public speaker be what they are, it is hard to see how his leadership has impacted the lives of others has had a great time shaking hands, but so did Nixon right up to his last days in office.
The most concrete result of Ford's campaign trip is likely to be the alienation of Congress. Ford has chosen to endanger what popularity he had left in Congress by insisting that peace and economic stability depend on electing Republicans to Congress. A Democratic Congress, he has argued, can only lead to economic chaos.
nation's economic woes. If I had to face that cacophony of conflicting, confusing advice, I'd leave town too.
Except there isn't much
Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corp. Chrysler officials have warned of a deep recession and publicly
decided that it would be bad politics to say to Americans,
"Yes, we're in a recession, and if we aren't careful it could get a lot worse."
By Carl Rowan
But just you wait until after the Nov. 5 elections when the truth no longer will be hostage, Not only will the White House admit we have a recession of some magnitude, but Ford is likely to spring some economic proposals that are sharply different from those of a couple of weeks ago.
friendly territory left for a president to visit these days. General Motors announces that it is cutting back production at four assembly plants, putting at least 6,000 employees out of work indefinitely. Similar layoffs and plant closures are scheduled by
criticized Ford for urging Americans to buy less.
The economic mess seems hopelessly complicated when the economists talk their mumbo-jumbo. But it is a hard job for them, and those thousands who are losing their jobs. They would rather have their paychecks and shell out $1.50 for a pound of hodgins that be unemployed for months and hodgins drop to 50 cents a pound.
One problem is that no matter how honest a new administration intends to be, in election years the truth becomes hostage to politics. With predictions of a Democratic landslide all around him, Ford seems to have
Simon's comment that inflation is still the number one problem may please economic theorists who are still receiving regular paychecks, but it will not go down well with people
who are losing their jobs, with builders who are going bankrupt with auto dealers who face financial disaster.
Whatever he says and proposes, let us pray that he says it loudly enough to drown out the babble of contradictions coming from his so-called economic experts.
Copyright 1974 Field Enterprises, Inc.
No Credit without credit
"Good morning. May I help you?"
"Yes, I've been looking at the washers and dryers downstairs, and I've decided to buy that harvest gold set on the center desk. The saleslder told me to fill out my charge account form here."
"Of course, madam. Now, if you would simply fill out this form. Oh, there on the bottom, be sure to give the account numbers of your other credit references."
"But, I don't have any other charge accounts."
"No, you see I've never bought anything as big as a washer-dryer before. It's always been a chair or sheets or something, don't you know, that I paid cash for. Christmas money or birthday money, you know."
"You've never had a charge account anywhere?"
"Well, I did have one in California abbot three years ago. I bought a recliner-visor for my mother-in-law.
"That's right. Let me see, perhaps we can work this out. How long have you lived at your present address?"
Three hours "How long did you live at the address before that?"
"Eighteen months, You see,
 that other place was an apartment—no place for the kids to play. And so noisy. All those college kids with their stereos.
 This little house on Arkansas is a nice nice yard, three bedrooms, you use the third one for a den."
"I see. Well, it won't help things that you moved. Our research shows that people who have a lot are bad credit risks."
"I'm sorry to hear that, but I don't think that applies to me in all our bills, and right now, if we watch it about beef and things, we'll have enough to make a better dryer. We wouldn't cheat."
"Himm. I'm sure. You and your husband both work. This is your total monthly income?"
"Yes, but we get a bit from the parents--baby-sitting money they call it. Just to help a little."
"Enough of this. Now, can I get this account or not?"
"I see. And you have two children. Well, according to our research, these figures don't enough to allow for payments."
If the credit bureau has no record for you, then I'm afraid we can't help you. If they bad any information on either of you, even a bad rating, it would help
"Well, I have a Standard gas card."
and from the laundromat, it's cheaper to make payments for a washer-driver at home."
"We can't accept that." "Even if the account is current and we've never had any trouble paying it?"
"I'm sorry. Our research shows that for a couple with two children, you need more income to afford this purchase."
"But we do have enough for the payments. We've figured it out. What having to cash a check every week to go to the bank is hard," he effort it takes to load and unload those baskets, and the gas to
"But, I tell you we have enough money now to pay for it."
"Well, wait one minute. I'll make a quick call to the credit bureau here in town. ... I'm going to the bank for you or your husband."
"Of course they don't. I told you, neither of us has ever charged anything before. We've
She has a bad back. But I paid that off in 90 days."
"I'm sorry, madam, but that
"account is no good to us. We
can't afford it. But for you from a charge account in
California, especially if it's
more than two years old. You
have never charged anything else?"
How are we going to establish credit? You can't buy a damn thing you need any more without credit. How are we going to get a credit rating if we can't get a charge account?
"Not according to our research."
"All right, lady. Would you let me charge this washer-dryer and pay it off within 90 days. I don't want to pay it, but I need this thing. My back is killing me—those damned baskets are heavy."
"Oh, but if you did that, we'd lose the interest charged on a purchase of this size. And then you pay it back to accounts for anybody else."
"You mean the interest I pay on this charge account helps you open accounts for other people?"
"On yes, that's how we make the money to advertise and have sales and provide so many services for our customers."
"And you're saying that before I pay the actual cost of the washer and the dryer, I pay the interest on the loan. I'm not paying for the purchase until I've paid for the interest?"
"Yes. My, you're quick. Most people don't understand that. A lot of our customers think they pay the interest a little at a rate. That's why we the interest first. That's how we make our money."
always paid cash or done without."
"If the credit bureau has no record for you, then I'm afraid we can't help you. If they had any information on either of you, even a bad rating, it would help."
"You mean, a bad rating is better than no rating at all?"
"Are you telling me that fraud is better than honesty. That lying to the credit department and not honoring the credit obligation puts you in better stead than paying cash."
"Well, that's a little harsh,
but essentially true. If you have
other charge accounts you're
paying on, or if you have a bad
charge, then you should handle
you than if you're a stranger to the system."
"That's what. If you've charged something before, even if you didn't pay for it, you're as far as charges again by
"Hold on. Let me see if I understand you. We can't get a charge account, with you have any charge accounts?"
Flanigan is KU mouthpiece, BSU says
To the Editor:
The primary purpose of this letter from the Black Student Union Executive Board is to inform them of their responsibility regard to the hiring of Gary Flanigan as director of Supplemental Educational Services (SES).
In the University Daily Kansan on Oct. 22, and Oct. 25, there were articles written
is the only executive board member employed by SES. It follows, then, that our presentation of the Kanan articles should include discussions and comments of Gary Flanigan, director of SES.
The attitudes...of the director of SES support the administration's conceptions of what is "good" for black students at KU.
On Oct. 9, members of the BSU Executive Board had a meeting with Gary Flanigan to discuss matters on Oct. 17. Flanigan declined to
concerning the BSU demonstration the previous Monday
According to the Kansas, which, by the way, obtained its information from an unnamed "reliable source," the BSU demonstration was only held because BSU leaders are not allowed to do their jobs at BSE. This statement is totally incorrect and divorced from reality since Sherry Jones, chairman of BSU,
"That's right."
attend a BSU meeting and address the members in since he has never been engaged in any position activities. What exactly did he mean by asserting the need to participate in any positive steps on policies?
students around the country were thoroughly discontented with university activities toward them. Black students, who at KU began protests, rallies and demonstrations to obtain:
The Executive Board would like to very briefly give live feedback on the work of BSU since the Black students at KU along with black
-Increasing enrollment of black students.
Financial assistance for black students.
-The creation of administrative position in the Office of Dean of Men, the Office of Dean of Women and also a representative in the Office of Admissions.
—The creation of SES.
The BSU, being the mechanism that articulates the student's efforts to be recognized that the University administration only gave us these concessions in an attempt to make any further turbulent activities.
Flanigan said the BSU demonstration arose out of personality conflicts with members of the executive board.
What exactly does he mean, a
conflict exists due primarily to personality?
The black residents, recognizing the need for a mechanism to express unity of belief for the second year in a row the Ellsworth Hall Black Caucus. They clearly understood that Black Caucus was an arm of the United States, requesting Flanganian's presence
During the school year 1973-74, Flanigan was assistant resident director and later on resident director at Elsworth
dalism at Ellsworth Hall. Even so, Flanigan's policy toward black students also was evident in his attempt to drive a wedge between Black Caucus and BU. He proposed that Black Caucus confine its activities to resist the pressure to concern itself with issues and problems of other black students.
As a consequence, the conflict between Flanigan and BSU cannot be dismissed on alleged reasons. They work with executive board members.
The attitudes, actions and
The University administration has attempted to discredit the BSU and cause confusion within black students through the University Daily Kansan.
policies of the director of SES reinforce the University administration's conceptions of what is "good" for black students at KU. As we have seen from past experiences with the University administration, they desire very much to see BSU one
at their meetings and he declined nine out of 10 invitations. Besides that, he submitted a list of names of black male students who were pledging a fraternity, to the Dean of Men's office on rumors they were involved in van-
longer existing at KU. Therefore, it must be clearly understood that KU along with other universities and political institutions, attempts to mold black students to accept the present social arrangement in American society. Because was organized to add leaders to the struggle of black students to achieve their objectives, we have a political character.
As we have seen over the
Nonetheless, it becomes increasingly important that black students come to a conference role as the role of the University Daily Kansan in support of Flangan as the director of SES. The article Friday was "full to the core" by Professor Dan Ferent black students on campus about how BSU doesn't represent the majority of black students and how Gary Calvert is qualified to be director of SES.
The conflict between Flanigan, University mouthpiece, and BSU is a political struggle.
course of years, the University administration has attempted to discredit the BSU and cause confusion within the ranks of black students through articles in the University Daily Kansas. The articles in two issues of the magazine exemplify the tactics of the university administration to eliminate BSU as an effective force at KU.
Executive Board
Black Student Union
"We can't get a credit rating because we don't have any credit accounts?"
"That's right."
"We can't get credit because we don't have credit?"
"That's right."
"How are we going to establish credit? You can't buy a damn thing you need any more without credit. How are we going to get a reasonable credit account?" I didn't understand of that. But we have to have our rules, you know, and our research shows. .. Wait a minute, madam there are you going?"
"To the laundromat."
-Evie Rapport
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Published at the University of Kansas weekly during the academic year except holidays and excuses. Mail to: Kans. 60451. Lawrence, Ks. 60451. Subscriptions to mail are $8.00 per person. Subscription fee is $1.35 a semester, paid through the student activity fee.
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