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Thursday, May 1, 1975
University Daily Kansan
KANSAN
Editorials, columns and letters published on this page reflect only the opinions of the authors.
JFK rumors alive
The death of a very important person is bound to start the rumor mills churning. Rumors kept adolf Hitler alive in South America long after he committed suicide in 1945. And Franklin Roosevelt's death shortly after his visit to Russia was planned, of course, by the Russians.
The rumor mills have been busy the past 12 years churning out fantasies about the assassination of President Kennedy. The rumors that Kennedy was not in line to "Kennedy wasn't even in the Dallas motorcade."
The Warren Commission investigated many of the rumors. The commission went so far as to use Internal Revenue agents to investigate the FBI.
Nevertheless, the imaginations of many Americans weren't to be inhibited by the Warren Commission, no matter how thorough its investigation. The rumors persisted and now have been given renewed vigor by recent revelations about the CIA.
CLA.
Consequently, the presidential commission investigating the CIA has reopened the Kennedy case. A renewed examination of Kennedy's autopsy file last week found no new evidence to dispute the Warren Commission's findings.
This, of course, won't make much difference to some people. For them, the facts surrounding Nov. 22, 1963, are irrelevant to their interpretation.
Steven Lewis
Chemical plant cleans up
By STEPHEN BUSER Contributing Writer
The yellowish emissions that bellow from the towers of the chemical plant east of Lawrence on K-10 have probably offended all of us at one time or another. One probably assumes, as I did, that the plants are "public-be-dammed" attitude and little concern for the quality of life in the Lawrence area.
ALTHOUGH some criticism of the plant is legitimate, the plant is not required disregard on the part of the plant owners, the Cooperative Farm Chemical Association agrees with the standards of air pollution control.
The yellow vapor that can often be seen coming from the plant is nitrogen dioxide released from six nitric acid workers, and CO$_2$ worked on eliminating this eyesince the mid-'80s and
has almost, solved the problem. The yellowish discharges occur only four to six times a week, when there is a need to change a catalyst in a chemical reaction process that is effective in making the discharge from the nitrogen process invisible.
control of the six nitric acid production units is adequate by all standards except during the few hours a week of "down time" necessary for maintenance* and because the Chief complaint about the operation of the plant, however, is the excessive amount of ammonium nitrate dust particles emitted from the larger of two prilling towers used in the production of ammonium nitrate. The emission rate of this product amounts on an hour, which considerably exceeds the allowable rate of 90.21 pounds an hour.
CFCA officials originally had until July 1, 1975, to comply with state standards for ammonium nitrate emissions from the two prilling towers. Necessary equipment for the main prilling tower wasn't ordered until January and isn't expected to come up in November 1975. CFCA plant managers recently received a five-month extension of the deadline from the State Department of Health and Environment as a result of the equipment delay, despite the protests of local environmental watchdogs.
THE EMISSION of ammonium nitrate particles is the only discharge from the plant not in compliance with state regulations. CFCA engineers have been working on the problem since 1971. The CFCA research program has been a pioneer in dust control and environmental system was installed on the smaller of the two ammonium nitrate towers in August 1972. The CFCA plant is waiting to receive necessary equipment now to adapt this process to the main priling tower.
ASSUMING there will be no further delay in the equipment's arrival, CFCA should be able to deploy the ammonium nitrate deadline in finally deciphering the ammonium nitrate emissions from the main priling tower. The danger of air leaks can be eliminated by the year's end.
There has been a considerable amount of criticism by local environmental groups and concerned citizens about the sincerity of CFCA officials in controlling the air pollution problems of their plant. The Lawrence League of Women and other concerned citizen club and other concerned citizens have registered complaints not only with CFCA officials but also with the health and environment department for its alleged lackadaisical attitude in
handling the ammonium nitrate problem.
Although the pollution problems of the plant are visible from a distance, they are rare for any of us to encounter specific information on the violent emissions from the plant. We should always and others deserve attention.
Were extensions of the compliance deadlines really necessary or were they merely an excuse for CA officials to request that the agency's duty to meet state standards of pollution control?
STATE OFFICIALS have said information on industrial pollution is available at the Air Quality and Occupational Health Section of the state health department. But the department lacks the technical expertise to disseminate this data to the people. As a result, few people are actually ever aware of air pollution violations of the CFCA plant or others like it in the state.
scheduled hearings, it is unlikely that there will be any real participation by the public in such important environmental issues. This has been the case in France and elsewhere in Kansas.
A second serious problem is that the state health department's present method of notifying people of public hearings concerning environmental issues is wortless. State agencies require it to be queried only three times during the 30 days before the scheduled time of the hearing. If people are unaware of the violative emission standards and unaware of the
The League of Women Voters has offered to lobby for additional funding for the state legislature to address that environmental legislation is properly implemented. Perhaps this is the avenue that will provide cooperation between citizen groups and the state legislature in environmental problems that confront Kansas and the nation.
ONCE POLLUTION control violations and public hearing schedules are properly disseminated to the public, we may no longer have to depend on the police of a few citizen groups to carry on the battle to keep our air free from pollution.
A EPA plant officials have proved their desire to comply with air pollution control standards by their intention to establish emission. Local citizen groups have shown their interest in preserving a clean environment. The state health department must prove its effectiveness in reducing pollution violations and public hearings adequately known to the public.
War not over for U.S.
It was with laudable and honorable intentions that President Ford declared the wars in Indochina over for the United States. Responsible for them, he asked his countrymen to be done with the scapegoating, the recriminations over a lost war, and get about the business of restoring this nation's pride to America, which existed before we got sucked into the Indochina tragedy.
Perhaps the President can convince his Republican
colleagues to forget he has blamed the Democrat-controlled Congress for pulling the purse strings so tight that the ultimate U.S. abandonment was wrapped in humiliation.
made a debacle in Cambodia inevitable.
Perhaps, with his plea that he "bind the nation's wounds",
Ford can stop Democrats and other war critics from arguing that the 1970 Nixon-Kissinger policies of invading Cambodia and Iraq had been the only Nol regime that overthrew Prince Norodom Sihanouk
Perhaps—and this is most doubtful—the President can persuade Americans to stop asking, "Why didn't WE invade North Vietnam? 'Why didn't we invade?' 'Why did we invade' Haiphong harbor, . . .?" "Why did we persist in fighting a nowin war?"
volvement in any future violent upheavals inside Thailand or South Korea or the Philippines?
But there is no perhaps when
Even Americans who never endorsed "the domino theory" must understand that we could hardly restore U.S. pride by ignoring completely assaults against countries that stuck with us through the toughest days of a losing venture.
Yet, no matter what troubles
Readers respond
By Carl Rowan
Copyright 1973 Field Enterprises, Inc.
Copyright 1975 Field Enterprises, Inc.
To the Editor:
After having gladly followed Angela Pottetes' work in the Kansan this year, I was truly disappointed in her review of "The Dandelion" and "Work." It was really a shabby example of the reviewer's art.
To begin with, Pothotes had entirely missed the crucial point of the climactic scene of the play. She stated that the mother impregnated uterus in her former lover to get revenge for an abortion she had suffered through. Quite wrong; she had had the child after an agony of birth and had survived through a 3-day labor before the child was born. "I saw it was a girl, and I wrested."
The character had experienced the ostracism of society and had seen the娃 effects both of unwanted births and of quack abortions on other women. She had therefore—not until she was teenage, found a way to make a man artificially pregnant.
"Woman's Work" reviewer chided for misperception.
THE SCENE was a slashing criticism of men who, assuming that they are the oracles of the world, were under which only women can suffer; and to have characterized the woman as having the character and ethics of Dr. Fitzgerald, "showed a lack of attention."
However, this was rather apparent throughout the review. Pathetes *attempt at objectivity* ("There were some interesting, biting selections") were virtually missed the point of the entire production if she could state that "Women's Work" stereotyped people. She, incidentally, was doing a bit of that herself at the end of her review. "Are women really like women in the show and every woman in the show had been the same."
YES, WOMEN really are "like that." There are miserable and embittered women, who are busy learning about the heritage of uselessness they must pass on to their daughters, there are hate-filled prostitutes defending their way of life, there are women blindly wondering what they did to bring the
horrifying crime of rape upon themselves. All of these and more were presented by the cast of "Women's Work." And Pothiette is trying to convince us to play stereotyped people?
In short, I'm afraid that Pothetes thought in advance, 'My God, it's another of those who turned off her attention (and her ordinarily fine writing skills) after that. To come to a production with foregone conclusions is merely a perseverance over average player; but to a reviewer, it is professional lage.'
Valerie J. Meyers Overland Park Junior
Writer pitied
To the Editor:
After reading Angela Pothetes so-called "review of" Women's Work. I felt compelled to write and voice a few of my opinions.
First, let me identify myself both as the woman with the "dog" and as the "prijudicial prune." I was not upset at these appellations. However, I am extremely upset at what these and other remarks made by Pothetes showed about the lady who helped the production. She did not have listen to the things that were being said throughout the play.
During the playground scene, some very important ideas and feelings were brought out. And if she missed hearing them, she missed seeing them, or if she noticed nothing else in the prostitutes' scene except myself, then she missed two very fine performances by Mary Molter and Mary Dauley and again I feel sorry for her.
1. ALSO FEEL sorry that I fobethes totally misunderstood you. Done for Me Lately?" Of course it is hard to concentrate on what is being said when one is looking closely at the legs of the actor.
work of some of the great women writers of our time warrants every person's attention and agrees with what is said or not.
And what of the rest of the scenes? Perhaps because many women did not think they worried about her attention. But surely the
Pothetes may try to dismiss this letter as one written by an actress who has merely her feelings hurt by a bad review. That is certainly not the case. I do not consider that article that was printed in the Kansan a review.
JoAnn Mulvihill Perry Junior
Pay attention
We have a question for Angela Pothotes: "Are women really like what?" "Women's Work" was a collection of prose and poetry for and about women. It was definitely not intended to create stereotypes, but to poke fun at them and bring them out into the open for discussion. Not having been members of the party, we hadn't seen the production ourselves, we know Pothotes must not have been paying attention.
While searching for the review of the technical aspects of this presentation, we were struck by the writer's reference to an actress "hairy legs" that she describes as the contents or meaning of the play is beyond our understanding, and we are certain that the actress did not grow the hair specifically for this occasion.
UNDERSTANDING the obvious simplicity of the reviewer's mind, it is no wonder that she confused a child with a man even through we know that Angela and Michael perceived person in the world," she is surely not too naive to know that the words spoken were more important than the words she is further evident that the reviewer elsewhere when she mistakenly commented that "Dr. Frankenstein" had had an abortion. The doctor repeated several times the effects and procedure of the birth of the child.
In summary, Potetes' review was "pothetic." Please pay attention next time. Some
of us other women have hairy legs, too.
Sara Walter
Lecompton Sophomore
Joyce Cox
Chinese art
Wilmette, Ill., Junior
I find little to disagree with in the excellent review of the Chinese Exhibition written by Claudia Jones and Robert Mowry. But the primary goal of this exhibition is to situate a view of a western art historian looking at China. The massive exhibition was put together with another goal in mind. Understanding and utilizing the language in no way detract from the beauty of the ancient relics.
The primary goal of the exhibition is to show the long and impressive history of China viewed in a correct perspective. Modern China is right proud of its achievements, but teaches that "a splendid old culture was created during the long period of Chinese feudal society." The numerous cultural relics unearthed recently are partly inspired or, at least, utilized to support the work and attention of "making the past serve the present."
**WHO WOULD argue against the value of considering the lifestyles of the common Chinese when viewing the modern world?** Perserse? China isn't unique in having slave and feudal societies. China is unique in making it a national policy to view the past while giving a description to how it was created.
Even the methods of discovery and excavation reflect a new perspective. As millions of Chinese work with their hands, to build a China for future generations, archaeological sites were uncovered. These new artifacts have little commercial value in a noncapitalist economy. Yet they do have political value and are quickly turned over to the authorities, which can be used by all people to gain correct understanding of China's past societies.
Fortunately for China, most of her past remained buried recently. Western scholars to western China were interrupted by China were interrupted by the Japanese and World War II. Now China can carefully unravel her past without fear of her being buried in complete Western collections.
AS YOU VIEW the exhibition and its complement of items in the Nelson's collection, consider these sites at masters at sites like Chengchou. The exhibit catalogue is written with this sort of perspective if you desire a more immersive experience, a most impressive exhibition.
Woody Duncan Kansas City, Kan.. Senior
Woody Duncan
Eat less beef
y,
To the Editor:
Recently CARE has urged Americans to skip one meal a week and, with the money saved, help 400 million starving children in the Democratic and compassion" is of course a humanitarian crisis and may help alleviate the problem, but it totally ignores some very real causes of the problem — not nearly enough to solve it.
In the '40s and '50s, American agriculture had become so overly productive that a large surplus of grain resulted. It was a sign that our industry profitably sell all our newly enlarged food resources. College professors were assigned the task of finding ways to use up all of that food, which was found in the American steer.
"Being the least efficient among his fellow ruminants as a converter of plant protein to animal protein, yet able to put
something on the table that had a high demand, the steer was ideally suited to our needs.
"Today an average steer is able to reduce 16 pounds of grain and soy to one pound of meat on our plates. The other 15 pounds? It becomes inaccessible to us, for it is either used by the animal to produce energy or to make some part of its diet (like hair), or it is lost entirely in manure." (This is from "Diet for a small Planet" by Frances Moore Lanne.)
THUS AN INCREDIBLE level of protein waste has been built into the American meat-eating diet. Each of us meat-eaters contributes to the earth by providing food for all humanity.
book: "Of the 140 million tons of grain and soy we fed to our beef cattle, poultry and hogs in 1971, one-seventh, or only 20 million tons, was returned to us in meat. Clearly the earth cannot support this level of waste. To feed everyone in the world, the way we in America do it, would take three times the current world food supply, what would be necessary 30 years from now, when the population of the world has doubled? Clearly our present dietary pattern is unthinkable for the future."
For we Americans, a more efficacious act of self-denial is called for than skipping one meal a week or sending money to CARE. Each one of us should sincerely consider whether we wish to sustain our own lives of animals through a system that contributes directly to the suffering of our fellow man.
Rill Williams
Shawnee Mission Senior
Letters Policy
Letters to the editor should be typewritten, double-spaced and should not exceed 500 words. All letters are subject to editing and condensation, according to space limitations and the editor's judgment. Students must provide their names, class designations and home towns; faculty and staff must provide their names and positions; others must provide their names and addresses.
it comes to the business of restoring U.S. pride.
Thailand, which stuck with the United States to the point of ultimate peril, now hangs in the revolutionary winds.
The truth, and Ford and the rest of us must face it, is that while the war in Southeast Asia ended months ago for the war itself, the troops who sloshed through the paddies and jungles—and is now ending for U.S. airmen, military and civilian advisers and perhaps even for the CIA, when it comes to U.S. pride.
ONLY GOD knows how many thousands of tons of bombs were dropped on North Vietnam by U.S. planes flown from Thailand. That fact alone is central to current speculation as to whether Hanoi will be satisfied with the conquest of all of Indochina, or whether anger, fear, and violence require the fomenting of a successful revolution in Thailand.
When President Ford says that the war is over in Indochina in so far as possible, he is be saying that we also wash our hands of in-
S
erupt tomorrow or five years from tomorrow in these countries, there would be millions of Americans screaming that Thailand is utterly corrupt, that South Korea has degenerated into the republic of Marcos regime in the Philippines qualifies for both descriptions.
This society would find itself in a searing, divisive dilemma probably more emotional than the agonizing one in which a dilemma in the cards? Detente not-withstanding, I think it is. If we were calling the signals in your great adversary was licking its wounds after its first great defeat, wouldn't you push to see how much of the will to take up the fight out of it? You probably would.
I JUST CAN'T believe that the Communists won't move elsewhere to challenge the leadership to add support to hamilton.
Believe me, long before we can talk seriously about restoring U.S. pride, we shall have to decide whether and how to respond to any new challenges.
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