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Kansas voters to judge 3 amendments
Three proposed amendments to the Kansas Constitution will be submitted to Kansas voters election day, Nov. 8. To be approved, the amendments need a majority vote of all those who vote on the amendments.
The proposed amendments, if approved, would provide for annual general sessions of the state legislature, promote greater uniformity between state and federal income tax provisions and revise and modernize the Education Article of the state constitution.
THE AMENDMENT seeking to provide annual general sessions of the state legislature has those who advocate it and, as always, those who oppose it. Those who advocate it simply argue that the scope of state governmental authority has increased so greatly and become so complicated that legislators need to meet annually just to carry on the state's business responsibly.
Those who oppose the amendment point out that if the legislators feel they must carry over business into the next year they may simply recess instead of adjourning at the end of the yearly session. Also the governor is able to call a special session of the legislature any time he deems it necessary.
FURTHERMORE, it is argued that a biennial session, by its very nature, concentrates the attention of the legislature on only important measures. There
would not be time to consider trivial or unnecessary matters in a limited biennial session.
This writer tends to agree with the latter. Legislators may be tempted to enact too many laws in an annual session, thus further increasing and complicating the government's authority in areas where it, perhaps, has no business.
THE SECOND proposed amendment to the state constitution is concerned with making the Kansas income tax law conform with the current Federal Internal Revenue code. The purpose of this change would be to incorporate desirable federal changes in the national code into the state code.
The adoption of the amendment also would eliminate problems encountered by the taxpayer in maintaining proper income tax records and filling out totally different income tax forms.
This measure also has its opponents. They argue that any state has special circumstances which have to be considered in taxing individuals and businesses, thus it would be foolhardy to blindly adopt federal fiscal policies.
THEY ALSO point out that changes in definitions of taxable income, allowable deductions and adjusted gross income have to be considered in the light of the monetary needs of Kansas and not the nation as a whole.
Again, this writer tends to agree with what essentially can be stated as the conservative view. While changes in the state income tax code do need to be made they should be made in light of the needs of the state.
If, though, the needs of the state can best be met through adopting the proposed amendment, then it should be adopted. Who should decide? The voters of course!
THE THIRD PROPOSED amendment to the Kansas State Constitution is known as the Education Article. Article VI, the old Education Article of the state constitution, has not been basically changed since it was drafted in 1859.
The purpose of the proposed amendment is to modernize this outdated article.
This is well and good because the original article is quite out-of-step with today's philosophy of education. For this reason, I believe the education amendment should be approved by the state's voters.
As stated before, the amendments need a majority vote of all those who vote on them. Since many voters are not informed on the amendments, they may not vote either way. Thus an organized interest group could decide the fate of any or all of these amendments. For the true will of the people to be made known, all voters should familiarize themselves with these amendments and cast their votes.
By MAURY BREECHER
California on stage
Bu DAVID FINCH
California has long been famous as the state where the preposterous becomes reality. Amongst other things it has donated Hollywood, extremist religious sects and bare-bosomed barmaids to the American cultural scene.
Spotlight on state elections----VIII
Today it is dominating the off-year elections by offering a former actor, Ronald Reagan, as the Republican gubernatorial candidate in opposition, as the Democratic incumbent, Edmund (Pat) Brown.
REAGAN SURGED to political prominence by winning the Republican party primary and, in so doing, became the "white hope" of many Republicans. There was speculation at one time that he could be a Presidential candidate in 1968, but Reagan has discounted this. "The whole thought is too frightening to take seriously," he said.
Brown, on the other hand, is an experienced political figure who is seeking his third successive term in office. The chief executive of the nation's richest, most populous and possibly most unpredictable state, Brown faces re-election with memories of the 1965 Watts riots still fresh in the mind. And these thoughts have been revived by the recent rioting in San Francisco following the shooting of a Negro youth.
DESPITE THESE ISSUES, the election is largely a duel of personalities between the politically inexperienced actor and the two-term veteran.
Reagan is the younger man and looks even younger than his years would indicate. His voice is warm and appealing—cultured by years of TV commercials and acting. He is easy-going, relaxed and confident in front of cameras and crowds—as one would expect from his Hollywood background—but he tends to be a trifle awkward when meeting people individually.
Brown has frequently referred to Reagan's lack of political experience, and has built this up into a campaign issue. Reagan is frank about his lack of experience, but claims this is an asset.
"NOWHERE IN the state constitution does it say to be governor you have to be a professional politician, and I'm not," he once said. "This country was created by ordinary citizens, not by politicians, to be run by ordinary citizens."
Although Reagan says he is in "the mainstream of the Republican party," Brown, and not a few Republicans, are disturbed by Reagan's support by the ultra-conservative John Birch Society.
Reagan has defended the support by saying, "If anyone chooses to support me, they're buying my views; I'm not buying theirs."
CALIFORNIA has a long tradition of weak party organizations and loose voter attachments. So each candidate is appealing mostly to the large numbers of floating voters among California's electorate of seven million. Consequently partisan issues have been avoided, as have positions to which large sections of the electorate might take exception.
One of the few issues over which Reagan and Brown are sharply divided is in starting to charge tuition at California's state universities. Reagan is in favor of this action, while Brown is against.
Reagan says his biggest campaign asset is Brown, who, he says, "is trying for a third term after eight years of unkept promises." Reagan says two terms is long enough for any governor and that one of his first acts would be to initiate legislation limiting a governor to two terms.
Reagan, predictably is behaving like a typical challenger and is complaining about issues rather than offering specific solutions.
Brown agrees somewhat that general public frustrations and dischchantment are working against his third term, but he adds that the real causes derive from the national and international level rather than the state level. He cites as examples the Viet
BUT ONE ISSUE which is bound to have a decisive influence on the outcome of the contest is the racial question—and most observers believe the "white backlash" will favor the Republican cause.
Nam conflict, racial tensions in general, rising prices and high interest rates.
Although he has Watts and general racial unrest against his record, Brown can point to achievements in other fields. He says California is enjoying "the highest average income in any state by 20 per cent" and the lowest unemployment level in years.
BUT THE election may go against him because many believe he has been in office long enough and hold him responsible for rising prices and taxes.
The polls indicate the result will be close. But whatever the outcome, California once more has given the nation the pleasure of observing the most unconventional of campaigns. With the governorship race deadlocked, the suspense seems certain to continue to election day. But, then, what else would one expect from this state, with its Hollywood traditions of entertainment?
Official Bulletin
Comp. Center Short Courses:
COBOL 8,30-9-20 m.m. MWF 406
15:30 p.m. MWF 406 30 p.m.
MWF, 204 Su. Both start Nov. 7, en-
roll at 110 Su. phone 3776.
**Foreign Students:** If you did not receive the Nov issue of Internationals Campus Newsletter (mailed Oct. 28), please contact in Dean of Foreign Students' office.
Peace Corps: Information available.
Peace Corps Liaison Officer: 228 Strong.
Concert: M. S. Subbulakshmi, famous Indian musician, and her troupe will perform in Hoch Ack. Tuesday, p.m. Nov. 8. Mrs. Subbulakshmi will perform in U.N. Tickets available now at Information Counter, Kansas Union.
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engineering Exhibit, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Parking lot Z, west of Learned Hall. Display lot for all engineering & science students.
TODAY
Danforth Devotion, at 4:30 p.m. Sponsored by Lutherans at Danforth Chapel.
SUA Bridge Lessons, 7 p.m. Parlor C, Kansas Union.
Newman Club Discussion, 7 p.m.
Bullet. Bullet. Student Center,
Ilana Stratford
*Cont.* Arts Guest Artist, 8 p.m.
Joshua Caitlin, pianist. Swarthwout 8 p.m.
2 Daily Kansan editorial page Wednesday, November 2, 1966
At other schools...
THE DAILY REVEILLE of Louisiana State University reports that women at LSU can get birth control pills at the University Infirmary just by asking for them. The paper cited the cases of three women who got prescriptions for pills from two different doctors at the infirmary; one woman got the prescription just by signing a form and telling a doctor she needed the pills. The director of student health services, however, said it was not university policy to issue birth control prescriptions.
A display ad recently placed in the COLORADO DAILY of the University of Colorado read, "The gentlemen of the pledge class of Phi Gamma Delta challenge anyone to anything at any time." The house's phone number followed.
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN of the University of Nebraska quotes the president of Nebraska's Interfraternity Council that sub-rosa organizations are making a comeback at Nebraska. He said that these secret organizations, when strong, try to manage student government and other campus organizations and elections. Among the sub-rosa organizations rumored to be in the midst of revivals at Nebraska are Theta Nu Epsilon (a Greek sub-rosa), Pi Xi (an anti-Greek, anti-university organization) and Tau Nu Epsilon or TNE (according to the paper, "primarily a political organization")
THE IOWA STATE DAILY of Iowa State University reports that a number of serious students at the university have been reclassified 1-A by their Iowa draft boards under a recent decision that students "not making satisfactory progress toward graduation" will be reclassified. Normal progress is interpreted as meaning a student must have the required number of credit hours to be classified a sophomore, junior or senior at the end of each year. But the paper pointed out that only 20 per cent of the university's students actually graduated in 12 quarters—the amount of time that the Iowa draft boards consider to be "satisfactory progress."
So the DAILY has phoned national draft officials and has set up a telephone conference between Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, national director of the selective service, and interested ISU students and faculty members to discuss the Iowa ruling.
THE DAILY EMERALD of the University of Oregon reports that the Academic Affairs Committee of the Associated Students of the University of Oregon Senate is conducting hearings on a proposal to offer university courses on a pass-fail basis. The proposal would give students the option of taking any university course on a pass-fail basis, except for those needed to fill departmental graduation requirements. Students would also have to take 150 graded hours out of the 186 hours needed for graduation.
The Daily Kansan, student newspaper at The University of Kansas, is represented by National Advertising Service, 18 East 50 St., New York, N.Y. 10022. Postage paid at Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Accommodations, goods, services and employment advertised in the University are offered to all students without regard to color, creed or national origin.
The opinions expressed in the editorial column are those of the students whose names are signed to them. Guest editorial views are not necessarily the editor's. Any opinions expressed in the Daily Kansan are not necessarily those of The University of Kansas Administration or the State Board of Regents.