UDK News Roundup
By United Press International
Pollution bill called weak
WASHINGTON—The Nixon administration took its air pollution program to Congress Tuesday, but was told by Democrats its proposals were better in word than deed.
Sen. Edmund S. Muskie, D-Maine, who has offered an air pollution bill of his own, said the administration bill would permit less stringent regulations.
GI benefits raised
WASHINGTON—A House-Senate conference committee broke a five month stale-mate Tuesday and agreed on legislation that would raise GI bill benefits from $130 to $175 a month.
The compromise measure also would require new programs by the Veterans Administration to interest Vietnam veterans, and would subsidize colleges which offered remedial courses to veterans who never finished high school.
U.S. uses historic veto
UNITED NATIONS—The United States used its Security Council to veto for the first time in the nearly 25-year history of the United Nations Tuesday night, joining Britain to kill a resolution calling for the use of British force to overthrow Rhodesia's white supremacy regime.
U.S. reiects arms bid
WASHINGTON—President Nixon has decided to turn down for the time being Israel's request for more jet fighter planes, according to an administration official.
The State Department plans to make the announcement later this week, probably Thursday, and it will emphasize the United States will keep a close watch on the arms balance in the Mideast. The official said the situation will be reconsidered if it appears arms shipments to other nations in the Middle East threaten to disturb the balance of weaponry.
Post Office suffers strike
NEW YORK—Letter carriers throughout New York City went on strike today, the first such walkout in the history of the United States Post Office Department.
The walkout appeared to have been motivated to some extent by anger at President Nixon's plan to make the postal system a semi-private corporation.
Cambodia dumps prince
BANGKOK—The Cambodian National Assembly removed Prince Norodom Sihanouk as chief of state today, blaming him for the political crisis now raging over the presence in the nation of 40,000 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops.
The 47-year-old prince, Cambodia's leader since 1960, was in Moscow trying to enlist the Kremlin's help in removing the guerrilla troops, target of violent demonstrations last week.
Religion dean is named
The University of Kansas School of Religion will have a new dean Sept. 1.
Lynn F. Taylor, a native of Osborne, will succeed William J. Moore, the present dean who is resigning. Taylor is presently the assistant dean.
Moore said he is interested in the possibility of taking a sabbatical leave in the fall, but the shortage of faculty may require him to return as an instructor, he said.
Taylor received a bachelor's degree from McCormick Seminary and from the College of Emporia, a master's degree from the University of Nebraska and a doctorate degree in education administration from Nebraska. He has done post-doctoral work at the University of Michigan.
the Presbytery of Chicago. He also has been an associate in educational development and a leader in church officer training for the Presbyterian Board of Christian Education.
The newly appointed dean has been chairman of Christian Education for the Synod of Nebraska and
He has served as dean of the Chapel and professor of philosophy and religion at Doane College, Crete, Nebr.; vice president, academic dean and professor of English and Christian Education at Tarkio College, Tarkio, Mo., and has been an instructor in education at Nebraska University.
Taylor is a former Navy Chaplain. He served as pastor of Presbyterian Churches at Pratt, at Joliet, Ill., and at Fremont, Nebr.
The new dean extended his abilities into lecturing at regional training schools, synod meetings and various special institutes. He is the author of several pamphlets and published articles. He also has contributed to various studies in higher education.
80th Year, No. 101 The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas Wednesday, March 18, 1970
Army seeks court-martial
WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Army filed court-martial charges Tuesday against 14 officers including Maj. Gen. Samuel W. Koster for allegedly covering up information concerning the reported My Lai massacre.
Koster, now superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, was accused of "dereliction in the performance of his duties" and "failure to obey lawful regulations." He was commander of the American Division in Vietnam at the time of the alleged massacre March 16, 1968.
The same charges were filed against Brig. Gen. George H. Young, Jr., the assistant division commander, and Col. Oran K. Henderson, who was commanding the division's 11th Infantry Brigade.
In addition, Henderson was accused of "false swearing" and "making a false official statement."
The charges were announced at a Pentagon news conference at which results of an inquiry conducted by Lt. Gen.William R. Peers were released.
The Peers inquiry was ordered Dec. 24. In closed hearings beginning Dec. 2, it took 20,000 pages of testimony from 400 witnesses.
Peers told the news conference that his investigation "clearly established that a tragedy of major proportions occurred there at My Lai on that date."
All of the officers charged are being transferred to Ft. McPherson outside Atlanta, Ga., where they are entitled to pretrial investigations to determine whether court martial proceedings will actually be held.
Until Tuesday 10 military men had been charged in connection with the actual incident, three captains, one lieutenant and six enlisted men.
Court directive given to Awbrey and Miller
The most serious charges have been brought against 1st Lt. William L. Calley, 26, leader of the platoon that swept through My Lai in search of Viet Cong snippers on the day of the massacre. Calley is accused of premeditated murder of 102 South Vietnamese civilians.
Calley is scheduled for courtmartial trial starting May 18 at Ft. Benning, Ga.
A directive will be issued this morning that David R. Miller, Hays senior, and David Awbrey, Hutchinson senior, show cause to the Student Court why they should not officially be placed in contempt of court.
Miller, co-chairman of the Student Senate Elections Committee, in answer to the official contempt charges, said the decision to issue the referendum was not his to make. "I don't have the authority" he said, "Student Senate Executive Committee does."
John Hampton, Lawrence, second year law student and chief justice of the Student Court, issued the directive after Miller and Awbrey failed to add the Wescoe Hall referendum to the ballot as ordered by the Student Court.
The Student Court has no power, Awbrey said, to overrule the authority of Student Senate Executive Committee and order the Elections Committee to print up the ballots.
Awbrey, student body president said he agreed the Student Court did not have the power to order the Elections Committee to carry out the court order. He said the Student Senate Executive Committee had told the Election Committee not to have the referendum questions printed for this week's election.
Awbrey said he is in contempt due to his disagreement with the powers of the Student Court. He said he hoped the matter could be settled by the University (Continued to page 20)
Among others charged is Capt. Ernest L. Medina, 33, commander of Company C, of which the Calley platoon was a part. Charges were brought against Medina last week. He is accused of four counts of murder, among other things.
When asked whether his investigation established that there was a cover-up, Peers said, "No." But he added "There was testimony and evidence that either wittingly or unwittingly, information was suppressed."
Under further questioning, Peers said the term "unwittingly" could not apply to a charge of false swearing. He said there was no question that some information was suppressed, and never went beyond Koster's division.
Photo by Ron Bishop
Student elections in progress
Only 2,490 students voted Tuesday in the Student Senate and Class elections. Today is your last day to vote before the polls close at 6 p.m. in Strong Hall, Murphy Hall and the Kansas Union.