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Thursday, September 9,1976
University Daily Kansan
Comment
Opinions on this page reflect the view of only the writer.
Oil bigwigs praised
Concentrations of power are seldom the friends of the little guy, and most students perceive themselves as little guys. But sometimes a fellow who is both big and friendly comes along, and that is a very good thing.
For instance, most students probably aren't filled with good feelings when they think of big oil companies and their presidents. But in some cases they should be. Stanley Learned and W. W. Keeler are former presidents of Phillips Oil Company, the chairman of the board of Phillips are under indictment—charged with cheating the government by not paying taxes on $3 million.
THE NATURAL reaction is to say,
the corporate corruption. Nail
them in the way.
But in this case the indictment is a bad thing. Make no mistake—the case should be fully investigated, and if the two are guilty, so be it.
But one hopes the indications that Keeler and Learned are men of integrity are true. For KU students, the two men are really the good guys. They and Phillips have donated large sums of money to the University and probably will keep donating, regardless of the outcome of their case.
IT IS difficult to list all the things these two and their company have given KU. Special professorships in the engineering and business schools were established with funds from Learned and the Phillips company. Money from Learned established a fund for the center for economic research in the
School of Business and also a student loan fund.
The University of Kansas Athletic Corporation has received money for scholarships and two scoreboards (unsightly though they may be).
Keeler and Learned, past directors of the Alumni Association, truly earned the University's highest honor, the Service Citation, which both have won.
EVER THOUGH it wouldn't hurt the University directly, it would be unfortunate if two of KU's biggest benefactors or their company were doing something illegal. Although KU would have done nothing wrong, it would have gone wrong to know that a lot of its more distinguished alumni weren't all that good.
But even the court case goes against Phillips and its executives, KU needn't feel guilty. The donations have been put to good use—rewarding good teaching, helping those in financial need, and providing new facilities. Had that money, for example, been paid to the government in taxes instead of going to KU, it's doubtful the results would have been as beneficial.
THE TAX evasion case is interesting, one that students should follow even though it probably won't affect them directly. If nothing else, the case is an interesting study in human nature. It may show that good men have erred—even gone bad—or it may show that these men have followed in business the same high standards that led them to generously aid KU.
By Greg Hack Contributing Writer
© 1976 NYT SPECIAL FEATURES
Campaigning might chap Chip
(Editor's note: The following entries were copied from the diary of James E. "Chip" Carter by an unidentified writer and misprinted in enterprising and mild-mannered Kansan reporter.)
Human Problem ignited
When it comes to diagnosing the ills that afflict our body politic, certain signs and symptoms provide a useful clue. They indicate the insidious presence of the cotton wool syndrome, one of the most common causes of newborn diseases. It's cropped up again.
This time, in upholstered furniture.
THE COTTON wolf syndrome may be readily identified. There is first of all the Teton's case, studied by Experied Studies. The studies are followed by Proposed Rules and Regulations. And these in turn succeeded by Binding Orders.
But. Let us reflect upon the matter as a whole.
The key element is that the Human Problem must always be somebody Else Fault. In its own right, drone eliminates personal responsibility altogether. The government doesn't look kindly upon the notion that freeborn children have their own health, nutrition or safety. The government regards freeborn citizens as so many ambecile children, insecurity in their shoes or wiping their noses.
down. Some people are injured or killed. These are tragic happenings. They ought not to be treated lightly.
One seems to know how serious The Human Problem is. The furniture industry produces and sells about 20 million upholstered items a year. The industry's own studies indicate
that probably 300 million such pieces are extant, in homes, offices and public buildings.
AFTER LONG investigation,
Expert Studies conclude that
there "could be" as many as
6,187 "deaths and injuries"
in such rainstorms. These
are not what you would call
solid statistics.
Product Safety Commission has commissioned Expert Studies. The studies have led to a Proposed Standard for the Flammability (Cigarette Ignition Resistance) of Upholstered Furniture. Under the Proposed Standard, the government would upholstered furniture would be bidden to use any fillings and fabrics that failed to pass the government's test regulations.
IN THE CASE at hand, the
HUMAN Problem is that some
people carelessly let lighted
furniture fall and burn it to
furniture. In some instances,
the upholstery smoulders and at
last ignites. Some houses burn
Obviously, some persons do die as a consequence of being injured. And whose fault is this? In any rational view, the fault for these tragedies lies猜想 the careless themselves乎?
James J. Kilpatrick (c) 1978 Washington Star Syndicate, Inc.
But it is not the business of bureaucracy to take the rational view. Can you imagine whose fault this is? It is the fault of the upholster manufacturers.
THEREFORE, the Consumer
The regulations run on for 40 pages. Fabrics would be classified into four categories, based on their ability to withstand a smoldering cigarette. Manufacturers would be required to make prototype fabrics and combinations of filler and fabric. Then lighted cigarettes would be inserted. The test method specifies the length of the type of material used in cigarettes be reliant if they go out.
SOME TESTS would require six cigarettes a piece. Other tests may require 21 cigarettes. The Upholstered Furniture Action Council says the tests will consume more than a billion cigarettes annually and will cost approximately $2.1 billion. The Proposed Standard costs by 10 to 30 per cent, depending upon volume of production.
would be paid. About 60 per cent of upholstery fabrics fall into the "D" classification. These fabrics are often made of fabrics, such as velvets, cotton prints and linens. The industry says that if the compliance test is imposed in its present form, the upholstery fabrics would be eliminated.
This is the prospect: Purchasers of upholstered furniture would pay substantially higher prices than their earlier choice of items. The payers—all of us—would pick up a heavy cost for enforcement of the Proposed Standard. A buyer could not survive the expense of the testing program. And the pieces of furniture, in the end, would not be perfectly matched; it is the cotton wool syndrome.
This isn't the only price that
6 a.m.: Thanks a lot, Dad. All I can say is thanks a lot. Here it is, six in the morning on Labor Day—hail the know- and know-er, snoring peacefully away. But not me. not 'ol James Earl Carter Jr. I'm already up and dressed and shaving and getting ready to campaign in Kansas. Momma's campaigning in San Francisco and Dad's in Philadelphia and my brothers are in Miami and Anny's in Kansas. Thanks a lot, Dad.
If it doesn't make you ill,it should.
9 a.m.: Well, here I am in Wichita. And suppose it isn't that bad. I've campained in a lot worse places the past two years. All I hope is that they quit asking me about marjuana. One more grass question and I think I'll scream.
If I told Jeff and Jack once I told them a hundred times, Momma can't keep a secret to them. Did they listen? No. They went right up to Momma and said, "Hey, Ma, guess what we did?" And then they giggled, nudged them other they exchanged looks.
Sure, they'd been drinking. But why'd they have to drag my
name into it? Heck, they forced me to try the stuff.
"Jack Ford smokes it," they said, and "he's a park ranger." I don't know why I found the argument so convincing. but . . .
12 noon: Well, diary, guess where I am now. Wrong. I'm in
Jim Bates
Editorial Editor
I really don't see what good I'm doing dad. The only reason people come to see me is because I'm a Presidential candidate's son. I'm good at shaking hands but that is about
Great Bend, Kansas—and it isn't all that great. Ha. Ha. But seriously, folks. I'm trying to recover from a big Labor Day barbecue and I'm thinking about mariana again.
"Dear Carter son/daughter, wife/wife/brother; brother If you are asked about abortion, smile and say . . ."
For that he gets called a wif?
All I know is that girl at that girl in Georgetown last spring and an awful lot like Robin Dolce.
about. All I've got are these same old mimeographed memos from Jody:
Let's see, that would make it two of their kids to three of ours. Maybe if Jeff called up Susan?
7 p.m.: Another exhausting day is drawing to an end. The same old questions and my answers are the same, what the hell I was talking
Luckily, the end of an exhausting day means the beginning of another exhausting staff press party.
they'd never seen a candidate's son before or something.
CBS sure was pleased, anyway. That poor "60 Minutes" crew has been following me around for four weeks now waiting for a crowd to arrive and clamming. But all they had gotten was a dozen handsakes here and a dozen handsakes there.
6:12 a.m.: Drank too much last night and overslept. My head is aching and all I've got to do is just stay in bed and the University of Kansas.
The University of Kansas.
Alma Mater of Bob Dole and future alma mater of Susan Ford. Lucky me.
4 p.m.: The University of Kansas had turned out much better than I'd expected. Big crowd, no hecking, some applause. Even got a couple of decent questions.
Maybe now they will leave me alone.
Two more months! Two more months! Today Kansas; tomorrow Nebraska; next week North Dakota. Sometimes I wonder whether I am making any progress.
Not only that, but the thought just struck me that if Dad is lucky enough to hang on and win, the only thing I'm going to get out of the deal is a total loss of privacy. That doesn't sound like much fun to me. I think about having a divorce, Mommia and I. You know them, it then just to show how open they are. or else some nosy Washington Post reporter will find out on his own.
I'm not sure I want to spend the next eight years on page 42 of People magazine.
Oh well, at least KU gave me a T-shirt, so the campaign wasn't a total loss.
7 p.m. : I hope there's another exhausting party tonight.
Letters
To the Editor:
What will be the word for '77?
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, or whatever, lend me your ears, or whatever."
You have just read the 1976
Bicentennial version of Mark Antony's famous quotation.
It is quite manifest that every year one word in the American (note—not English) language springs forth from the congested, esoteric pages of some worn-out old lexicon, to receive the dubious award of prophet can predict it, no schemarist mandate it, and even almighty Congress has no control over it.
In 1974, we elected the word "gross." Although we broadened the meaning to include throwing up, opera singers, and some girls, we also made the meaning something glaringly noticeable because of inexcessible badness. Being it was the year Richard Nixon signed away from Washington Geraldo Ford assumed office. I think we bugged on gross.
But you and I, the American people, can take pride in the fact that we perennially take a lesson from word and give it life anew.
Then, reflecting one year later, 1978 should be labeled the year of the rebate. Even though it emanated essentially from the business mind, we the customers literally demand a rebate before attempting to purchase most products.
But I do think the concept of
this word got a little out of hand,
especially when I noticed a
rebate offer attached to the
back of my 15 cent Snicker's wrapper.
As for 1976, and in the tradition of a great people, we have simply outdune ourselves. In this election year, when we must pick the lesser of two sons, we must refrain from spathy in selecting a word that implies a mance of Doris Day's "Que Sera Sera."
That word is, of course,
"whatever." Located sumply
between what and whatnot,
whatever's dictionary meaning
is everything or anything.
But it's 1978 meaning has mutated
into "who knows?", or more so,
"who really cares?"
What a word! It could feasibly receive honorable mention in a word of the decade pageant, particularly as no other single word could do so. You repose to so many occasions. If you, as many Americans are doing, will inject this word into your public life (noting the hint of blase), you will no doubt come across as highly intellectual. And in this time of straddled stands on a throne, you whatever could be more fitting.
As you can see, we have trumpeted again. Although I cannot give those of you now on the phone the word for 1977, I can, however, make a nebulous prediction: it will probably fall somewhere between dental peanuts. But then, whatever.
Roger Innes
Wellsville, junior
A beginning noted To the Editor:
September 6 was my birthday, but I no longer celebrate it. Instead I now celebrate my "beginning-day," which I think is considerably more important than intentionally or inadvertently I was created. That day was approximately nine months earlier—the day of my conception. So whether a miracle or a mistake or both, it was in 1949—perhaps New Year's Eve—that I began. I was born in Bayonne, NJ; I wondered if that
is also where I had my beginning?
Perhaps it was snowing. I'll bet there was a Frank Sinatra record playing. My mother has always been a pusher for Frank's singing; and besides Johnny Mathis was still a young schoolboy. By the astrologic discover that my astrologic predictions accurately predictive since I realized that I am a Capricorn rather than a Virgo.
This is an election year—please vote for life and "let's start at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start."
Ronald F. Zec
Lawrence graduate student
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
Published at the University of Kansas daily August 14th, 2015
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Debble Gumi
Wi tropl the l
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We half close enco be c
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