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Wednesday, September 24, 1975
University Dally Kansan
Remember Vietnam
The initialing of the new Sinai accord by Egypt and Israel has been the cause of elation for many Americans, including President Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Part of the accord calls for the stationing of American civilians as early-warning system technicians in the Sinai buffer zone between the two countries, a move that is a contribution to the establishment of permanent peace in the Middle East, according to President Ford.
However, the stationing of Americans in the Sinai brings back memories of U.S. involvement in South Vietnam, a comparison that doesn't sit well with many people. The United States became involved in Vietnam bit by bit, starting with economic and military assistance and ending with a full commitment of American troops to the bloodshed in that country for many long, tortuous years.
United States involvement in the Middle East is uncomfortably similar to this step-by-step escalation in Vietnam. For example, massive arms sales have been made to Saudi Arabia, a country that has many U.S. military advisers. The Saudi government awarded a $77 million contract to the Vinnell Corporation of Los Angeles to teach Saudi Arabian troops how to "protect oil wells." Also, in the past few
years the United States has sold $6 billion worth of arms to Iran.
On the other side of the fence, the United States might give Israel a missile system capable of delivering strikes upon Cairo and other Arab targets. The missiles would be capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Added to all this is the fact that the new Sinai accord hasn't been popular with the rest of the Arab world. Egyptian President Sadat has been denounced as a traitor to the Arab cause in some Middle East capitals. When Syrian President Hafez Assad was asked if Syria and Jordan are fighting without US help, "Don't overlook possibility that we ourselves may conclude that the time is propitious for the resumption of hostilities to liberate our land."
If hostilities break out in the Mideast and the American technicians are endangered, U.S. troops could become involved in the fighting while trying to get the civilians out. In the face of so many bad omens, it seems that a war-like early-warning system in the Sinai. Congress should debate the matter carefully and conscientiously before sending any Americans into a potential "Vietnam."
Paula Jolly
Contributing Writer
Kansan Forum Stricter gun-laws needed
in almost three weeks, two women, in apparently unrelated events, have tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford. Both attempts were unsuccessful.
YET MANY AMERICANS are unconvinced that there is a need for gun control. This trend apparently has influenced the stems of the debate, and have been able to put together only one weak piece of gun control legislation, the Gun Control Act of 1968. Whatever the reluctance of the Congress stems from, however, isn't of much use. The most important is how the firearm is being misused in America.
The nation has been shocked and appalled by political assassinations and assassination attempts in the
Within minutes of the first attempt on the President's life, members of Congress voiced their shock at the attempt and vowed to work for some kind of federal gun legislation. Unfortunately, these efforts also may be unsuccessful.
from guns to second Union
Some kind of federal gun legislation is needed urgently in America. How many more shooting tragedies must America endure before Congress passes and signs into law a meaningful piece of gun legislation?
past 12 years: President John F. Kennedy, 1963; Malcolm X, 1963; King, 1963; Sen. Robert Kennedy, 1972; Gov. George Wallace, 1972; and President Ford, 1975. The list doesn't mention American injured and murdered each day by guns.
HOWEVER, the NRA overlooks a 1938 decision by the Supreme Court in U.S. vs. Miller, in which the court said that Constitution didn't guarantee individuals the right to bear arms but rather stated that the guarantee was made to "assure the continuity and render consistentness of such forces (rallitatus)."
ACCORDING TO FBI statistics, 52 per cent of the 19,500 murders in 1973 were committed by people using handguns. One of every four aggravated assaults and one of every nine gun-related injuries involved the use of a handgun, the statistics showed.
Yet the National Rifle Association (NRA) views the idea of any type of gun control on American gun owners. The NRA argues that applying any controls to guns would inhibit the second amendment to the constitution, the right to bear arms.
According to a November 1974 Gallup Poll, 72 per cent of those who said they had a statement "Registration of all firearms should be required."
Those opposed to gun legislation question whether the American public supports gun control.
Twenty-eight per cent disagreed.
THE NRA COUNTERED the POLL's results with its best weapon, an appeal to emotions. The police should have inserted the following question in lieu of the question that was asked: "Should an American be armed with a firearm to defend himself."
In "The Gun in America," Lee Kennett and James LaVerne Anderson write that the gunmen they made while doing research into the history of guns and gun control was that although the second amendment was meant to prevent homicides, the hoc army of armed citizens, custom and use have given Americans a traditional but not God-given right to keep, carry and conceal deadly weaponry.
WHAT HAS THE SOLUTION for gun control? Probably no one. There isn't a perfect answer to such a complex situation, however, that some regulation of guns must be started.
For beginners, legislation should be passed by Congress and signed by the President that commands all gun owners to obey the laws. Levi, U.S. attorney general, supports such legislation.
Don Smith
Although gun registration would only be a start, maybe we should get the most recent gun control law, the Gun Control Act of 1968, is just too weak. For example, it outlawed the domestic import of firearms and outlaw the assembling of foreign handgun parts in
America. The result was that American production of handguns made from foreign parts began in the United States in 1908 to 1908 in 1970.
How many Americans, both political figures and private citizens, must fail in the path of a bullet before Congress and the President enact a sensible gun control law?
There's not a simple answer. But emotional outbursts from gun control and anti-gun control advocates will do little to solve the problem. Again, maybe the best place to begin is with a federal law commanding gun owners to register their guns.
Maybe it will work. Maybe it won't. But it surely never will unless it's given a chance.
'GUNG DONT KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE'
SUN LARRY SLOGAN
Holy postage, Batman! / Yael Abouhalkah
in the top-secret Batcave,
Batman and Robin nervously
paced the dirt-covered floor.
It had been three weeks since Batman ordered Robin's new black mask. His old one had been tattered and torn in battles with the Riddler, the Joker and the Penguin.
Robin stopped in mid-stride. His patience had finally snapped.
With his usual crafty and lightning-quick mind, Batman agreed. The Dynamic Duo jumped into the famous Batmobile and sped to the Gotham City post office.
"Holy molasses, Batman," Robin criedn. "This U.S. Postal Service is terrible. We've got to do something about it."
Upon arrival, they charged up the front steps and through the glass door (CRASH, TINKLE). With an authoritative stride, Batman made his way to the mailing room.
"MAY I HELP YOU?"
"I'm a man pushing a cart around the floor, which was covered by sacks of mail."
"Mess? I see little mess," the mail carrier replied.
"Maybe you don't," Batman said. "But everyone knows the mails move at a small's pace, no harm intended."
FOR EXAMPLE, did you know that automation has only enabled us to fail further behind in delivering the mail? There's more and more mail. In any way, it is a kind of hurdle, "sanded by a human being."
"None achieved," the Good Citizen said. "But you complain about mail service. Perhaps you are not sure of the things we mail carriers do."
"Did you know that after the
computer has broken the mail down into zip coded zones, we have to further sort the mail into routes, then have each mail carrier take his route's mail into order in order to delivered?"
While the Good Citizen caught his breath, Batman butted in. "Then how can we, the Dynamic Duo, help?"
(c) 1975 Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.
civilization could leave something more meaningful behind.
ALL ACTIVITY in the mailing room came to a halt. Finally, the carriers had an audience for their complaints about the junk mail, mail sent out by companies, individuals, groups, et al., to advertise their products and gimmicks.
The mail carrier, alias Good Citizen, mulled over the question, then yelled, "Get rid of this junk mail!"
James J. Kilpatrick
"But Good Citizen," Batman said, "the junk mail, as you call it, helps advertise things. And things advertised will sell well. And that makes the economy go, go, go."
EPA on target with discards
"Ha! That what's you think," the mail carrier said. "Why can't these new, private mailing services take over the handling of junk mail? Why can't a law be passed saying that the U.S. Postal Service can't handle junk mail, just as a law now
says nobody but us can handle first class mail?
"Look at the advantages of the system: the mail carriers wouldn't have to deliver those billions of pieces of junk mail each year. Then we could concentrate on faster delivery of other, more important classes of mail.
"WE COULD," he cried,
"start delivering mail again
like it's supposed to be
delivered!"
Clapping broke out among the mail carriers.
Batman thought about the idea. It would save time for mallmen, make delivery faster or possibly probably be more economical.
"I'm sorry, Good Citizen, but there's nothing we can do about it," Batman said. The Dynamic edge edging toward the back
"The suggestion makes too much sense to ever be considered by anybody with power to do anything about it," the Caped Crusader replied, as he dashed out the door.
WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is about ready to publish some proposed guidelines for the use of federal agencies. The EPA's purpose is to discourage the use of throw away containers for beer and soft drinks. Understandably, the beer, soft drinks and soft drinks manufacturers are having complaints, but the EPA is on the right track.
The issue here, it seems to me, is more an issue of political philosophy than of economic policy. The guidelines are merely proposals; they could not become final until some time next year. Once made final, the agency would maintain its mandatory effect; if a federal agency concluded that returnable containers were not available at reasonable cost, the agency would move from under the guideline plan.
EVEN IF EVERY federal agency went along with the proposition, sales of beer and soft drinks in throwaway containers would not be significantly affected. The EPA estimates that such bottles must to only 2 to 4 per cent of total sales. The EPA also believes the effect on employment in the can and glass industries would be minimal. Under the proposed guidelines, a five-cent deposit would be required on every carbonated container sold in Non-returnable containers could still be sold; but they would cost a nickel more.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE is one more conflict between the
freedom of the individual and the power of the state. The whole history of government comes down to a beer can. The doctrines of a free society hold that customers should be able to purchase any drink they please, and that customers should desire them, they desire, and the marketplace alone should limit their selection.
But even the most libertarian view of a free society acknowledges individual not absolute community also has rights that may be defined and protected. In this case, A's right to purchase beer in throw away cans does not prevent the throw away cans to throw the cans on B's lawn.
AGREED, SAY THE CAN and bottle people. The solution is to arrest A for littering. But as a practical matter, the community responds, this is an important step enough police, prosecutors, judges and juries in the whole country to enforce the anti-litter laws now on the books. If these throw away containers constitute a public nuisance—and that is how we should abate the nuisance is by attacking the problem at its source: The container itself.
THE MOST HIGH-FLOWN theories get shot down by human nature, and that is the case here. God made tidy people also, and the trashy people have the tidy people outnumbered. No anti-litter laws ever devised will deter the trashy people from their empty six packs all over the country side, but the experience of Oregon with its law on non-returnables indicates the economic pressure of a mandatory deposit will lessen the evil.
of the religion practiced by
the vanished race of Americans. No deposit, no return. Surely, I would seem to me, our
Speaking simply as one citizen who is fed with litter, I will buy the EPA's approach. The can and bottle manufacturers are fine folks, but their non-returnable containers constitute an unnecessary community should have to tolerate. Neither should the people be put to the burden of massive law enforcement machinery merely to serve libertarian theory.
"Why not?"
It was Professor Louis D. Rubin J., I believe, who once speculated upon the time, thousands of years hence, when archeologists from a distant planet decided to plant dead earth Planet. Alighting from their spacecraft, they would explore what obviously had been roads and highways, where archaeologists were milling of identical small green artifacts. The archeologists would take these to be symbols
OURS IS A BEAUTIFUL
country. Neither the special
interests of the can and bottle
makers, nor the libertarian's
theories of individual freedom,
should override society's effort,
in this especially pervasive and
powerful sense of national
country beautiful. Other such
efforts have been sustained by
the courts. Historic zoning laws,
antibillboard laws, junkyard
screening laws—these and
many other regulations are
infringement upon property
rights. And they require public
public support.
Extra Union needed /
While most students were away from the University of Kansas this summer, a little research effort by Union developed a proposal that could shorten the lines in the bookstore during enrollment and ease the crowded conditions of Terrace dinner during lunch times.
The committee's proposal also could raise the number of dollars KU students pay for enrollment fees.
—NOT QUITE HALF of the students and that 50 per cent of the faculty members said they want to pay the cost of new union facilities.
The proposal for a satellite union sounds very appealing to students who are growing weary of standing in long lines to buy books at the bookstore, a cup of coffee in Woece or a salad in the Union. A satellite union would give students
The Union committee found,
after completing an extensive
survey of students and faculty
members in the spring, that:
"There is no question that the over-all number one choice for additional facilities is a satellite union." The survey concludes.
—About 90 per cent of the students and 50 per cent of the faculty members surveyed said union facilities were needed
another place to go for food, information, snacks, books and meetings.
THE SATELLITE UNION would be located in the southwest part of the campus, a place where more and more students will be spending their time. The additions of the computer center, the visual arts building that house food and other services be provided to students in that area.
The Union is on the northwest side of campus, and the only food service west of the Union is at Cypress which is overcrowded already.
But before students get their hopes up for a satellite union, it must be remembered that such organizations take time and money to build.
The satellite union hasn't even made it to the drawing board and it won't do so without student support.
The satellite union was rejected in 1970 because many students thought University
A SIMILAR PROPOSAL for a satellite union was defeated narrowly by students in 1970 when the question, "Do you favor the construction of a satellite union on the westside adjacent to Allen Field House?" was put to a referendum.
S
buildings should be paid for by the state and not the students. Fees would have increased by just $7 if the students had approved the $1.5 million satellite union.
Students in 1970 were particularly upset about paying for Wesco Hall, a classroom building. Although Wesco lost money in the project, the satellite union, Wesco eventually was built with student money and the satellite union project was dropped. After all, why build another unit if the students don't want it?
In Batman's mailbox the next day were stuffed a black mask, two letters and three magazines. Also received were five pieces of junk mail with advertisements for wigs, unguishers and other items. Abraham Lincoln and a get-rich-quick scheme selling Halloween costumes in Slippery Rock, Pa.
KENT LONGGECKER,
chairman of the Student Union
Board in 1970, urged his fellow
members to approve the satellite
in 1970.
Think about the near-sightedness of students in 1970, and think again about those
Think of students in the future, he said in 1970, who will have to stand in long, inconvenient lines because you won't vote or pay for an extension of Union services.
Think what might have been done in 1970 the next time you stand in line for a Coke in Wescoe Terrace. Think what that line will be like in the 1980s when the student population in the southwest part of campus grows.
Carl Young
S and as r rou trav com
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