4
Monday. October 6, 1975
University Dally Kansan
Cancellation deplorable
Cancellation by the SUA Board of the Nov. 13 debate between William Shockley and Ron Goldsby is deplorable for several reasons.
Shockley's theory that blacks are genetically inferior seem specious. But he is a figure of public interest and debate because of his espousal of such ideals under cover by canceling the debate makes the wound of racism only fester.
Racism is a pervasive force in this society. It must be expunged from our system before it irreparably damages communities and harms harmony and equality of opportunity.
We cannot fight racism by saying that it shouldn't exist, or worse, by pretending that it doesn't exist. The best way to fight it is to get it out in the open.
Greg Bengtson, president of the SUA Board, said the board's action in bringing Shockley to KU was "raising a socially divisive issue" and that the debate "itself would be of no consequence, but that the repercussions in a human sense could be very detrimental."
Bengtson voted in favor of canceling
the contract, and one on each
member, abstaining. app og
Bengston also said the cancellation of the debt brought to the issue a "humiliating"
What is this prattle about humanism?
One dictionary defines humanism as a philosophy concerned with the achievements and interests of human beings, than with abstract beings phylogeny
Racism is not an abstraction nor is it a theology. It is a societal disease that describes the experience of racism.
Shockley's theories give support to those who would keep the races apart; his ideas have everything to do with the human condition.
The discussion of whether to cancel the debate took place behind closed doors. Board members have denied that the decision to cancel resulted from pressure from University administrators. Because the discussion wasn't open to the public, we can't know the reasoning behind the decision.
Mike Davis, University attorney, said he didn't know whether the SUA Board was subject to the state open meetings law. Davis said that question had never been asked before. Now may be the time to ask it.
The SUA Board's capricious action has deprived the University community of a chance to be exposed to Shockley's controversial ideas. The suppression of his ideas may only give credibility to the effectiveness of his arguments.
What are we afraid of?
Contributing Writer
Mary McGrory
No pity for oil companies
WASHINGTON--One of the more startling bits of information to come from the special election was this:
"socialism" in a traditionally conservative Republican state, but also be elected to the United States Senate.
A man can advocate nationalization of oil and not only survive charges of
Steep hill succumbs
Blind man's touch dispels blabs
It was a sunny autumn day, but I was grumbling over the morning newspaper. Nelson Rockefeller was blaming the CIA for the problems and the CIA was sneaking money to Portugal.
"Dann the CIA. And damn this brutal hill," mutted as I turned my blue up the 11th for the 19th time that week.
Braille writer and the stick he tapped was a cane.
Halfway up the hill, my chain caught. No amount of pulling, prying or coaxing would budge it.
I felt as if I'd just asked a widow how her husband was doing.
"No," he said. "What's wrong? Can I help you?"
stacked high on the porches and in the backyards for winter fuel. Any conversation with a voter would be worth over the rising cost of gasoline.
“It’s my bicycle,” I stammered. The chain’s caught.” Let me earnest. “Let me see if I can out. Where is it?” he said.
A man using what looked like a metal detector had turned the corner where I was stopped and taking his way down the street.
He followed me back to the bike and put his writer and care down in the grass. He examined
"Excuse me. Do you have a screwdriver?" I called after him.
ting the chain out than in watching him figure out how to do it. We both pulled and crodded.
"You're getting your hands awfully greasv." I said.
"Oh, that's okay," he replied.
"They're always greasy.
Sometimes I work on my car, so
I used to it."
The statement that he fixed his own car delighted me. I didn't wonder until later how he drove it.
When he turned around I realized he wasn't looking for metal. He was blind. The machine he carried was a
"I think if I just had a
"I've thought about doing that," he said. "But I just can't seem to do everything I'd like to do, far do you live here?"
I told him I was majoring in journalism.
"About two and a half blocks." I said.
"I only live a half block away.
I'll go get a screwdriver," he said.
"I'll leave my writer with you."
"I don't know much about speed bikes," he apologized.
The man pulled the chain, coaxing it exactly as I had.
Therese Mendenhall
divestiture," which would require them to choose one of these phases and parcel out the functions to other companies.
The theory is that because they work together in joint operations, common ownership of pipelines, the giant oil and gas companies aren't subject to competition and can set the prices where they will.
the bike with his hands and found the problem in less than a minute.
"I think what you're doing is the only approach," I said.
I watched him tap his way from the grass to the sidewalk and across the street. As he made his way down the hill I thought he must be sensing more with that cane than I usually did with my eyes and ears.
"Yea, majoring in Spanish and creative writing. Here . . . Let's see if we can pry it out with these keys," he said.
We couldn't.
I was less interested in get-
"See if this works," he said. "I worked the driveway into a barn and we bought a bike. We pried the chain free. He put the chain back on the gears and adjusted the galleru exactly as it had been."
screwdriver I could get it out," I said. "Are you a student here?"
He slid his backpack off and pulled out the screwdriver.
Gerald Ford, who cam-
migned for Durkin's
pickup of these signs. He
continues to lament the plight of
oil companies who must compete
with OPEC prices. He fears that
unless their profits are huge,
they will not be able to exe-
plore for new energy sources.
"Bikes are fun," he said. "My brother and I used to take them apart and put them back together when I was little."
He turned the corner at the bottom of the hill that made me grit my teeth every morning. As he disappeared behind the houses, the bright sky and the crisp afternoon a special treat we had week after week about Rockefeller and the CIA again. They were a bad dream.
"Project Independence" is not, however, a standard to which many can repair. Ford's vision of "energy self-sufficiency" fails to sustain people who are shivering or cold. They can afford the money for gas to drive to work.
"Yes. They're so simple and straightforward." I said, "You can always figure them out and fix them yourself."
Soon he was tapping his way back up the hill. He crossed the street, stepped off the sidewalk and walked through the grass to a spot less than five feet from where he'd put down his writer.
As I picked up my pack and jacket, I thanked him. He flipped his pack on over his head and felt for his cane and his writer. We talked a little more about tukes and school as we headed out to play. I said I was late for class and thanked him again.
"I hope you make it up the hill this time," he said. He turned around, found the curb and moved down to the street where I first seen him.
Ford, of course, contends that domestic oil companies are at a disadvantage against OPEC in a crisis — currently at $1.50 a barrel.
CONGRESS IS A LONG WAY from following its newest senator in calling for nationalization of oil. But it seems to have gotten the message that the consumer doesn't share Gerald Ford's policies, and companies, who thrash about in the toils of oppressive government regulation.
As I was cranking up the last steep half of the hill, the ground shudded only a slight irritation, like giants I wanted to show awa.
The senators counter that the major American companies, who control the world-wide GEC oil, are part of the problem.
Last week, the House voted by a fat margin to retain stiff control on oil prices. And four Democratic senators—James Aborekz of South Dakota, Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, Philip A. Hart of Michigan, and Gary Hart of Colorado—were among those in favor of the monopoly which the big companies hold on all stages of gas and oil production "from wellhead to gas pump."
UNDER THE PRESENT SYSTEM, the oil and gas companies are in charge of production, refining, transport and marketing of oil and gas. The bill calls for "vertical
"Some experts believe," says Gary Hart, "that the cartels would not have worked in India or now-in-national corporations."
number of new factors. One is the election finance reform bill which prohibits contributions in excess of $5,000 and thus makes "hold'd" oil and gas companies on individual members.
THE THEORY IS that with free market forces actually at work in the oil and gas industry, a new stage of production various stages of production and marketing, competition would drive prices to a reasonable level and make government regulations unacceptable.
Another is public opinion, which is, Gary Hart says, 'way out ahead of Congress' in its indignation at enormous oil company profits and steadily rising prices.
"If Gerald Ford really believes what he says about free enterprise," says Abouezre, who has a strong sense of humor, "he will support our bill."
Vain efforts to break the oil companies control of all phases of the process have been made for the past ten years by Philip Hart, chairman of the Senate's anti-trust and Monopoly Subcommittee. The record runs to 40,000 pages.
BUT THE SENATORS think the time is ripe because of a
A third is that the Anti-trust Subcommittee, which has never passed such a measure, has changed its face. Liberals Abuorez and Charles McC Mathias, R-Md., have replaced conservatives. Sen. Birach Bayh, underdeclared presidential candidate, new member. He has a similar anti-monopolistic bill of his own and has scheduled hearings for this week.
THE MAJOR OIL COMPANIES are expected to oppose this effort to destroy the status quo. The independents, however, will favor it. The majors wouldn't, in the vent of its success, be faced with destitution. Exxon, the senators involved in oil production as its one operation and still be the largest privately-owned oil company in the world.
the ant-monopoly plan would be added to all proposals pending on oil and gas deregulation. We may soon have a vote on the question of whether oil is a luxury, as Gerald Ford seems to think, for electric cars through the nose, or whether it is a necessity which should be available at reasonable prices.
Gaylord Nelson notes that much oil and gas is found on public lands and belongs to the people anyway.
I cannot speak for any other department but let me correct the impression left by Laird as it may relate to the history department. In the past six years, six members of the department have been nominated for or have won teaching awards—professors Nelson, Hiner, Katzman, Griffin, Sidman and myself. This same group has produced at least seven books already published and two or three more books by other authors. This group has also accounted for six major post-graduate fellowship awards for their research. I don't have the time to report on all the articles written by this group but one of them, whose I work do know about, has written four articles and has two more articles in the press; another has one book and seven articles. Another has three
(c) 1975 Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.
Readers Respond
Professor Laird's letter of Sept. 29 is very disturbing, particularly because of the vagueness of his accusations. Just who are the innocent and who are the guilty in his claim that "far too many names (for teaching awards) do little or no research and writing?" Whose reputation is supposed to be soiled and whose left unmuddied?
To the Editor:
It should be noted that the relationship between teaching and research and publication is a complicated one. One study, conducted by the University of Chicago, showed a correlation between publication and the rating given by faculty colleagues and students to teaching ability. Other studies find a very low correlation. One study has suggested that the correlation between the number of times a person is cited by his professional colleagues and teaching ability. Furthermore, we need to define our terms as to what we mean by "publishing" and "master" all the published materials in one's field and to generate new insights based on these materials be research? Or does research mean just investigating primary materials? Or does research mean using research to quality itself as a true researcher?
books and I don't know how many articles.
As for the question of whether nominees for teaching awards are doctrinaire or not, again there is the difficulty of knowing whether we are dealing with the results of our research. You don't have on this issue or just a feeling, something he "strongly suspects." If there is evidence on this score let us see it. If not, an intellectual community should be spared vague accusations which cloud, not clarify, complex questions. Phil Paludan
Accusations disturbing,prof says
Talent bailed
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to the article entitled "Yankee Tank Fair Alds Leo Beuerman Memorial," which appeared in the New York Times on Monday, Oct. 22. This article concerned the activities of the Pearson Integrated Humanities Program. The particular project described was an intention by this group to erect a statue of George Washington on the corner of Massachusetts and Eighth streets.
This is my first semester at the University of Kansas, and it is also the first month I have lived in the town of Lawrence. In spite of this fact, I have worked with the Beerman, a remarkable man, who, in spite of multiple handicaps, remained self-reliant and supported himself, at least in part, by selling on the street corner pencils and crafts that he had made. These facts indeed mark him as a man who has gained experience and potential. It is understandable that such a man should be remembered with
respect by the townspeople of Lawrence
In view of these facts, I think it is a tragic mistake and a gross misrepresentation to put the most important memorial that is being raised in his honor: "Remember me? I'm that little man gone blind. I used to sell pencils on the street corner." There are far too many people in the world who think that the most people with whom I worked do to support themselves is to sell pencils on the street corner.
The proposed inscription lends support to this view. Though it is true that Leo was a man who drew the street corner to make his living, it is not this fact that makes him worthy of distincc
tion. Leo Beuerman is worth remembering because he made the best use of his talents and could still be better to note this fact on pencils or plaque than it would be to note that he sold pencils on the street corner. The image portrayed by the former inscription, in the town of Lawrence, is that of a blind begar.
The point I wish to make is that this man should be remembered. Let us have a memorial to Leo A. Beuerman, but let us have one that portrays the truth about him and not one that perpetuates a stereotype about people with disabilities.
Kathleen Hagen
Fargo, N.D., Graduate Student
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