Page 4 Opinion University Daily Kansan, August 24, 1982 Only a slice to him President Reagan's arm-twisting paid off last week when the Senate passed and sent to him the $98.3 billion tax increase bill. Part of the president's intense campaign to get the bill through included a form letter, paid for by the Republican National Committee and sent out Aug. 9. In the letter, the president explained that he had not abandoned his plan for a series of tax cuts, but that he supported the tax hike because it was "the price we have to pay to continue our economic recovery program." He said that to continue the fight to lower federal spending he had to compromise with congressional leaders. The tax bill was the result of that compromise. As he said in his letter, "I have reluctantly given a slice to get at least three-quarters of a loaf." But for college students nationwide who face the possibility of leaving school because they have no money, that slice was too precious to be given away. The crunch is coming from two levels of government. The federal government has stemmed the flow of dollars for grants, loans and work-study positions, sending students looking for jobs where jobs may not exist. In Kansas, Gov. John Carlin cut state spending to cover a $47 million shortage in projected revenue. At the University of Kansas, that means $3.17 million has been cut. This includes student hourly jobs, class offerings and equipment and supplies. The president said he wanted a long-term solution to the troubled economy, not something the politicians have called a "quick fix." Making a commitment to higher education—restoring the notion that lack of money should not prevent someone from going to school—is a solution that would take the nation past the 1984 election. I have been to the mountainton. Solitude and high places best for clearing the mind Well, it was actually just a 12,000-foot summit at Colorado's Loveland Pass, but I consider it a great accomplishment. After a strenuous 40-minute hike, I sat down, hooked up my headphones to a cassette player and listened to Dan Fogelberg perform "Nether the experience was somewhat euphoric, somewhat religious, and important." Some might question the significance of a person's desire to conquer a mountain. After all, man has set foot on top of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, and it has not been changed. Many people have walked to the peak over Loveland Pass, and they never made the headlines. In fact, people climb mountains every day, and most of them HAL KLOPPER do it without receiving a paycheck. So, why walk up a mountain if the only thing to do afterwards is turn around and walk right back down? There is something inexplicably awesome about being on top of a mountain. In addition to knowing that civilization is well beyond earshot, the almost mystical serenity and incredible beauty of the summit can be compared only to stage three of the sleep cycle. When I walked down from that mountain two weeks ago, I felt tired yet refreshed. My journey had left me both drained and reinvigorated. In class one day last year, my philosophy professor was lecturing on Immanuel Kant, when a certain student spoke up and challenged his interpretation. A lengthy argument ensued, to which the student finally raised his hand. He replied, "I can't beat Kant. I've got you all beat. What you need to do is go up on a mountain and clear your head." It was a tense moment in the classroom, taken care of by a few nervous chuckles and the professor's invitation for the student to discuss the matter with him later in greater detail. The student's angry words were rather harsh at the time, his point was well worth considering. Having been through two philosophy classes and other college courses, I can see how students and teachers alike can become caught up and possibly entangled in that web. Philosophy is perhaps the most demanding of the humanities courses, because it requires a person to contemplate some of life's most challenging and arguable issues, like morality and God. In his famous work "Meditations on First Philosophy," Rene Descartes, for the sake of example, questioned the existence of his own foot. I too, may some day discover his own foot in the sake of example, it will never stop me from splashing through a puddle of water. Three days ago, I wrote this while sitting in the small clearing around the Campanile on Mount Oread. At the north end, there is a concrete bench overlooking Memorial Stadium and miles of tree tops. As I wrote, at the south end of the campanile, I bench, each spending a few moments there. Some were just sightseeing. Others, I believe, were simply clearing their heads. It was the calm before the storm of semester's start, a building of confidence, and they went out to work, entering into the depths of homework. Many of them will return as the semester wears on. There is a great difference between becoming involved with school and becoming entrapped in it. Granted, schoolwork takes up a good deal of time for the serious student, but anything that is potentially hazardous to his health or physical health is quite unnecessary. This is not to say that such entanglement is easy to avoid. It happens. That is where mountains come into play. If, during the semester, the pressures from the University of Kansas become damaging to that all-important peace of mind, get away from them for a while. Clear the head. Go away from that hectic pace and relax. A road trip to Loveland Pass would be nice, but any Lawrence hill or deserted park bench will do. Just imagine what a more confident, relaxed and clear-headed planet might be if the world's leaders climbed a mountain to watch politics. It would be quite a summit conference. I salute that angry student in my philosophy class, not for the manner in which he spoke, but because of his determination. The man might not have changed the mountain, but the mountain has certainly changed Alcohol a campus dilemma When anti-alcohol crusaders get on soaphouse these days there are fewer snickers being heard in the audiences. I am not one of those crusaders, but I am led to believe that alcohol is not everything that some advertisements would have us believe. While many continue to deny that alcohol is a societal problem, a growing number of people who drink alcohol creates more problems than it salves. It would be difficult to deny that alcohol is one of the more significant elements that affect our lives at the University of Kansas. For some it is second in importance only to academics, and for others it has displaced even academics. Few would contradict the proposition that Country Club Week would be different without the presence of "a little something to drink." Alcoholism is an equal opportunity employer. It does not distinguish between intelligent and ignorant, rich and poor, young and old, seniors and freshmen. Anyone who has the opportunity to work in this field might be surprised to find there young professionals at the top of the socio-economic ladder. The University of Kansas is seen as a means by which students can better their lives through education. What is not often appreciated is that the dangers of alcohol abuse are just as real for those who are upwardly mobile and who have above average intelligence as for anyone else. Few sources agree on the actual number of alcohols in this country. The reason for this disagreement is that few can agree on exactly what it is that defines an alcoholic. The Navy Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation program in San Diego puts the number of alcohols in America at about 20 million. Each of these alcohics was convinced that he could quit drinking if he decided. There are two alternatives that face an alcoholic: AA or a similar organization, or not. Those who have to have joined AA and remained members may be able to discontinue their drinking, but they still remain alcoholic. I do not recommend the second alternative. In fact, nearly anyone who drinks alcohol with any regularity is probably convinced that he can pass a test. It is this subtlety that allows so many to continue as casual users of alcohol until it is too late for them to stop drinking. Each is convinced he must drink 20 million. But the statistics continue to grow. Although there may be some merit in moderate and responsible use of alcohol, the wisest choice is total abstinence. If a person has to quit drinking, it may be too late. One can take the risk, but in the final analysis, one must weigh the risks and consider the benefits. When the risks are unknown, the decision process becomes unreliable at best. It may be easy for some to take lightly the issue of skid-rowing, but the sidewalks of skid-row are littered with the lives of those who took the issue lightly. It is students' attitudes toward alcohol at the University of Kansas that should be most important. DOUG MARTIN Guest Columnist deciy the evils that alcohol abuse brings on one hand and to condone its social use on the other is an inconsistency. The two go hand in hand. Americans manage to kill thousands of people on the highways directly because of alcohol each year, and we continue to invite friends into our homes and send them on their way with "one for the road." Either a person recognizes what alcohol does to our society, or he hides his eyes and hopes it does not touch his life. To condone a problem is tantamount to contributing to the problem. What issues are there to consider collectively as a University? For a start, we could support the following: to demands for beer sales at athletic events. The University Daily Kansas could refuse further advertisements for alcohol, a proposal I hope it gives serious consideration. We should let the Kansas Legislature know that the recently passed bill that increases the penalties for drunk drivers is in effect and should encourage Kansas judges to firmly apply the law as it has been written by our legislators. And we should reconsider our own attitudes toward alcohol. Try as one might to separate social drinking and beer sales at University athletic events from alcohol-related deaths, it can't be done. Each of these alcohol related phenomenon are part of the same continuum. These phenomena can be separated by attitude toward alcohol. By separating the phenomenon of death on the highway and social drinking, those who desire to drink and drive are not plagued with a troubled conscience. It is difficult to give serious consideration to a problem that seems so distant and uncertain. Those of us who have family or friends who are alcoholics and those of us who have lost loved ones to alcohol abuse or to the careless act of a drunk drive take this problem very seriously. Messages we all might benefit from taking on rethink the arguments against drinking. There are 20 million Americans whose lives would be less troubled today had they taken more time to consider them when they were younger. Doug Martin is a second-year law student from Clay Center. He will be writing several columns The University Daily KANSAN Kansan Telephone Numbers Newroom--848-4810 Business Office--848-4258 (UPS$ 600-440). Attended at the University of Kansas daily August through May and Monday and Thursday during June and July except Saturday, September and Sunday. Second class postpaid mail at Lawrence. Kansas 6004. Subscriptions by mail are $15 for six months or $2 a year in Douglas County and $13 for six months or $4 a year outside the county. Student subscription are $8 a semester, paid Postmaster: Send changes of address to the University Daily Kansas, Flint Hall, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS90461. Kansas, Lawrence, KS60045 Editor Business Manager Manager Susan Cookey Managing Editor Dave Beckman Editorial Editor Rebecca Cebacha Campus Editor Mark Gerzen Associate Campus Editor Brian Gerzen Assistant Campus Editors Colleen Cawley, Am Lowry Sports Editor Gina Strippi Associate Sports Editor John Cook Entertainment Editor Am Wylie Production Manager Lilian Davis Marketing Manager Matt Hail Wire Editors Jeeber Becky, Jan Bond Hill Wire Editors Jain Murphy, Amy Calvino, Cathy Hall Chief Photographer Richard Sugg Photographer David Burden, Ben Hugger Steven McDonogh, Don Delphia Head Copy Chief Steven Hamilton Copy Cherrs Tim Sharp, Desmita Miles Staff Columnist Tom Green, Tom Hutton, Hal Klapper Tracee Hamilton, Cathy Belcher, Lisa Gutterree Staff Artist Rosemary Herman Retail Sales Manager Bar Bumur National Sales Manager Jim Bumur Campus Sales Manager Melissa Langan Classified Manager Laurie Sanmunion Product Manager Joanne Scott Staff Artist/Photographer Joe Keening Tearment Manager Mike Burnberg Retail Sales Representatives Adrian Marvillier, John Clark, Tim Bedorey Katie Duggan, Edward Keating, W斯科琳曼 Jill Hirekorn, Searl Harrison, Nathan Harlow, Mary Allison, Jennifer Jackson John Scott Campus Representatives Liane Clow, Barb May, Minya Patne, Lynn Scott General Manager and News Adviser John Paul Letters Policy The University Daily Kansan welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be typewritten, double-spaced and should not exceed 500 words. They should include the writer's name, address and phone number. If the writer is affiliated with the University, the letter should include his class and home town or faculty or staff position. The Kansan reserves the right to edit or reject letters.