KANSAN COMMENT
Killing the grass
While more important matters go untended, Governor Docking and the Kansas Legislature are zealously doing their bit to eliminate the sore throat.
Docking recently signed a bill aimed at eradicating the growth of wild marijuana in Kansas. The new law will set up a pilot program in one county that has yet to be chosen.
The legislature considered this new action urgent, and understandably so, since police reports indicated that this vegetation was creating a huge illicit business. The police said 9,300 pounds of harvested grass were confiscated last year. They estimated the value of the confiscated grass at $4 million.
I don't usually doubt the word of the police, but by my math these figures set the price of a lid at about $26. Who is going to buy a lid of Kansas grass for $26? Every student knows he can get Gold for $15. And if he keeps Kansas grass around at all, it's to pass out to visitors he doesn't like.
Maybe some enterprising dealers have been selling to middle aged legislators who don't know the difference. But more likely, the police have simply overestimated the importance of their catch.
No heads, of course, objected to this new legislation. As long as the Great Mexican Supply Line remains open, it's kind of entertaining
to think of all the people out in the fields spraying that hated Kansas weed.
The only people that did object to the new law were the conservationists. They felt that the chemicals used to eliminate marijuana might damage other plants and also birds and animals.
But what are a few birds and animals when the legislature can prevent some kid from giving himself a sore throat?
When members of government become afraid of something they don't understand they frequently are willing to do anything to combat the object of this fear.
Like poisoning the whole prairie to get rid of the pot. Or like sending a kid found with grass to the county jail for one year (the maximum sentence under the new "liberal" pot law). Or like giving one to seven years to somebody for selling grass (another stipulation of the new "merciful" law).
Spraying the grass is idiocy. Spraying the legislature would be more beneficial.
Reducing the sentence for possession of pot is senseless. The Kansas Legislature just doesn't have the courage to admit that possession of pot shouldn't be a crime, or that they don't know if it should be a crime. They just ease their conscience by reducing the sentence.
Poison the land and cage the kids. All over a weed. Thank you, Governor. Thank you, legislature.
Others on issues
This column is made available periodically for campus leaders to discuss current issues.
Ed. note—diZerega is a former student senator, active in campus politics. The opinions in this column are diZerega's and not necessarily those of the Kansan staff.
Bv GUS diZEREGA
To the surprise of Senator Shultz, a disappointed news media, and some embarrassed student leaders the April 8 Strike and Rally passed without incident. In what may have been the largest rally in KU's history Dave Awbrey, John Narramore, and Walker Hendrix explained the reasons behind the demonstration and the letter being sent to the Regents. Oh yes, Bill Ebert was also there.
A number of positive benefits arose from the Strike. Many classes became forums for discussion of the issues surrounding the strike. All students were given the opportunity to participate peaceably in defense of their university. Radical student leadership proved incomparably more capable to organize and maintain order than the traditional student politicos. The Regents may well agree to sign the letter they were sent.
The Strike Committee made some mistakes to be sure. We did not initially clarify the function of the picket line sufficiently and perhaps we assumed too much that the real issue of the Strike, academic freedom, was obvious to every one. These shortcomings were cleared up but not before Student SenEx and the Left Handed Students Union had convinced many that violence was likely and besides there were no reasons to strike anyway. By injecting the issue of violence, and in the LHSU document the implication that the Strike Committee would attack students attending class, these organizations did great damage to the cause of the strike. Hopefully in the long run the damage
they have done to their reputation will be comparable.
The chief reasons, then, that the Strike was not larger was that while misleading attacks on the Strike Committee were given front page coverage Tuesday, zero news was printed concerning what the Committee was really doing.
The Strike and Rally have achieved many of their goals. The real issue was brought home to the Regents—that we are united against their interference for political purposes in our university. The spontaneous organizing power of concerned students proved superior to everything but the fear of violence. Since no violence occurred we trust that perhaps our opportunist student leadership might stand WITH student interests in the future.
But we will not hold our breaths.
Speaking of Regents, can you dig Henry Bubb's trip in the UDK last Tuesday? Imagine, the great "free enterpriser" getting rich off the federal government, talking as if we consumers have some moral obligation to do business with him. Is tolerance supposed to mean that we should help him get richer? So that the hypocrite can spread his drive further? The only tolerance Bubb has demonstrated of late seems to be his tolerant acceptance of anybody's money. I wonder whether his tolerance extends to trade with Red China? We know how far it extends to professors.
The fat cats that run this country like to preach tolerance when their interests are at stake, but let them be effectively challenged and suddenly their devotion to civil liberties becomes as real as Elmer Gantry's priestly virtue. Henry Bubb is where a lot of our rulers are at, except that a lot of them are more cautious about admitting it. Fortunate we are that Bubb is with us—every time he opens his mouth another radical is made.
Griff & the Unicorn
SOKOLOFF
David Sokoloff 1970
hearing voices—
To the editor;
Serving in the capacity as President of the University of Kansas Men's Interfraternity Council, and in representation of approximately 1,800 fraternity men on the KU campus, I see the position taken by the IFC in connection with activities pertaining to the estranged "Spring Week."
The IFC, and the fraternity man in general, is an unfortunate victim of circumstance with reference to said event, due to a lack of communication among various living groups. Reports that the IFC pulled out, or rejected "Spring Week" are not true, due to the fact that the IFC actually never was committed, or involved.
Should this "happening" take place in the Fall, relationships that hopefully would develop would have more than the remaining three weeks of classes prior to final exams (if held in the Spring) to grow and prove to qualify the original objective.
It is worthy to note that the idea of "Spring Week" originated with a former officer of the IFC with the objective of joining the campus together in a week of fun events. It was not, however, to serve as a substitute for the traditional "Greek Week" of the past, whose sole objective was healthy competition among the 28 fraternities represented on campus in various athletic and cultural events.
The decision to not participate in "Spring Week" activities merely means that no funds will be allocated towards said event by the IFC. It does not speak for the average fraternity man on this campus who may choose and is urged to participate.
The loss of traditions to the KU campus due to this lack or communication is unfortunate. I do feel, however, that we, the various living groups, will grow and moreover prosper by what has happened, and that the communications between said living groups will definitely improve.
David C. Andersen Wilmette, Ill., sophomore
$$
* * *
$$
To the editor:
"Merker's attitude, however, was hardly indicative of a joke as he used worn-out cliches to express his feelings toward ROTC on campus."
After reading the April 6 Daily Kansan I see that yet another blow has been struck against objective reporting. In the article titled "No Chance For Male Color Girl Nominee Eliminates Himself," we are told that what seemed at first a simple prank on the part of male student Randy Merker in being nominated for NROTC color girl was actually his way of protesting ROTC on campus. Then the article goes on to say:
This is very interesting. Are we to assume that Merker wears a sign letting everyone know that he speaks only in "worn-out clichés"? Or does the unnamed author of this supposedly objective article feel constrained to let us all in on his or her personal opinions? Whichever is the case, such obvious editorializing has no place in a straight news story, a fact that someone on the Daily Kansan staff has apparently not yet learned.
Stuart Cleland Wilmette, sophomore
$$
* * *
$$
To the editor:
After reading the editorial by Mike Rieke about recruiting college graduates for police officers I felt I should write and show my support.
Upon receiving my degree I immediately applied for a position as an active agent in society—a policeman. I'm thankful that someone is at last recruiting more of us. I saw through my schooling the great system that America has built. The great system that takes care of all of its people whether rich or poor, whether conservative or radical. It was then that I decided I would like to take care of them, too.
I thought also of how great it would be for more college grades to be policemen, and even further, how great it would be for everybody to be policemen! Knowing, however, that it is rather idealistic—someone would have to be the criminals. Ha, ha. So let's be realistic. Everybody, come on, let's do something. Go out and show that you are willing to take the authority and responsibility of a policeman.
Frank Carey Ottawa, junior
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN An All-American college newspaper
Kansan Telephone Numbers
Newsroom—UN 4-3644 Business Office—UN 4-358
Published at the University of Kansas daily during the academic year except for special events. Second class postage paid at Lawrence, Kan. 66044. Accommodations, goods, services and employment advertised offered to all students without charge. The university is not responsible for necessarily those of the University of Kansas or the State Board of Reserves.
Member Associated Collegiate Press
REPRESENTED FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY
National Educational Advertising Services
READER'S DIGEST SALES & SERVICES, INC.
360 Lexington Ave., New York, N. Y. 10017