UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of only the writers.
APRIL 13,1979
Legislators stall relief
Politicians have never been known to be the most agreeable individuals around. Put 10 of them to work on a problem and you likely will come up with 10 solutions.
Unfortunately, this inherent characteristic may have cost the people of Kansas a good tax-relief package for this year.
the problem all started from an unlikely source—the state found itself with a surplus of more than $98 million anticipated for the next budget year.
Spurred on by this overflow of cash, a Kansas House-Senate conference committee did what any good legislative body should do—it put together a $79 million tax-relief package. The House loved it.
BUT UNDERSTANDABLY, the Senate was concerned that the $39 million in tax credits planned for the package would benefit the rich, who need it the least, as much as the poor, who need it the most.
So the Senate voted for a $117 million tax-reliable proposal the state couldn't
afford—a proposal that the House obviously could not approve. Compromise, the lifeblood of politics, was momentarily forgotten, and the Legislature adjourned without approving any tax relief.
Of course, that can't last. When the Legislature reconvenes April 25, a tax-trelief package will have to be found. The taxpayers won't approve of the state allowing that extra $98 million to stay buried in the vaults.
AND THE Senate will probably be forced to approve the House's bill—a bill with obvious flaws. But all of that could so easily have been avoided.
When petty politics and personal preferences become so powerful that the needs of the people of Kansas are overlooked, it is obviously time for the Legislature to reflect for a moment on what it should be doing.
The taxpayers of Kansas need relief, and it is imperative that the Legislature provides it. An excuse of political and personal differences will be little solace to those Kansans hoping the Legislature will look out for their needs.
Child's Easter puzzle pieced together by age
This weekend has extra meaning for millions of people.
For myself, the significance of today and this coming Sunday began to develop in the mid-1960s during my grade school years.
The short walk to the church for the class was a break from school work and a chance to go outside—another recess of sorts.
But the mood soon would change.
And once inside the church, the most immediate concerns were who to sit next to and how loudly one of us could pop the hat clip behind the new.
By then, all six grades of the school had assembled and we began the Stations of the Cross in observance of Christ's passion.
The slow, Gregorian-like chants sung by the group made me feel a little more solemn; such music made one feel sainty.
And I didn't really quite understand another big change on Friday: no eating of meat.
BUT MY ATTENTION always seemed to wander and I usually gazed at the stained glass windows and the 12 ceramic sculptures, each depicting a moment of Christ's last hours. I didn't see scenes in the sculptures had scenes, but they did.
The regular staple of hot Mexican food was flavored with tuna sandwiches for lunch and fish sticks for supper. That was some flavoring.
My sacrifice for Lent usually was candy. I doubt that I gave up this treasure to ensure my entrance into heavens as much as because of a desire to do as most everyone else did and give up something I enjoyed.
Perhaps the one event during those years that made me seriously contemplate the crucifixion was when I saw a show about the passion.
Philip Garcia
I REMEMBER at the time I saw "the Robe" how the movie captured my emotions. I wanted to do something for the victim. I wanted to save Jesus from all that suffering and pain. I did not like to him mocked, and at fitted
I did not like to see the good guy fall three times; I wondered why the good guy died in this story.
As the years have passed the questions are no longer about why such a tragedy happened but whether I can believe in and act on the message of the event.
Can I believe that patience, kindness and perseverance are desirable in a society where people too often triumph over another in search of materiality?
I can I forgive those who ridicule me, and refrain from striking back at those who strike at me?
WILL I COMPLETE a task for the sake of love even though I may be scared and have no guarantee of receiving the same treatment?
Will I accept suffering and humiliation in order that success will have meaning and bring ioy?
I will catch myself running from tasks that are threatening and burdensome? How often will I turn my back on those in charge of someone else during my time of need?
Good Friday and Easter pose such challenges.
it seems the challenge is to give of myself when I would prefer not to and to believe such efforts are not in vain. It seems one can appreciate the peak of joy by remembering the valley of sadness. Today, for me, is a reminder that the valley can be crossed.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
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Dumping clearly is illegal as stated by U.S. laws. However, the Carter administration, like the Ford and Nixon administrations, is flagrantly ignoring that law.
American manufacturers, while not always the most ethical in the world, have a less
Congressman Vanik's subcommittee is conducting investigations this month. Hopefully, it will expose enough evidence to force the government to enforce the dumping regulations and levy penalties against offenders.
Such actions by one department of the federal government against another department, which was performing a much needed dutv. are totally inexcusable.
It is vital, moreover, that the U.S. government not only protect American businesses by restricting the number of inexpensive imports coming into this country, but that it realizes what its state is enforcing tariff laws means to U.S. citizens.
General Manager Advertising Adviser
Rick Muster Check Changes
Japanese import taxes long overdue
Late last month, the U.S. Treasury Department moved to collect more than $400 million in back tariff dues on Japanese television coverage and financed a limited program eighty years ago.
At trust glance, that action to indicate a government commitment to the collection of back tariff duties on imports is not unreasonable, or 'old at prices much cheaper in Japan.
But the Treasury Department acted only when it had to—after tremendous pressure was exerted by American businesses, the department said. Indeed, for nearly 10 years, the government has been particularly inactive in collecting duties on these "dumped" imports, which American TV manufacturers have claimed as part of last year—nearly 40 percent of the market.
Rep. Charles Vank, D-Ohio and chairman of a House subcommittee on trade, has suggested that the Senate should
The tariffs first were imposed in March 1971, yet no assessments have been conducted since April 1972. Only $1 million had been spent on the discontinuation a reason for the discontinuation was
PRESSURE, however, finally is being put on the Carter administration to do something about the obviously ignored problem.
The government must realize that this passiveness does, in fact, mean only one of its powers.
And federal grand juries in New York City, Norfolk, Va., and Los Angeles, as well as a Justice Department task force in Chicago, Cincinnati, and New York, large retailers, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. Montgomery Ward and Co. J. C. Penney Co., have accepted illegal Japan C
Mary
Ernst
The kickbacks are said to have been paid by the Japanese manufacturers to the U.S. retailers in exchange for the retailers' agreement to quote high wholesale prices.
Whether evidence to confirm such a secret deal is found, there is plenty of evidence that the government has been very diligent in collecting and imposing penalties.
Indeed, there is growing evidence that the Carter administration may have made a secret deal in 1977 to drop both investigations and pending damping penalties in exchange for a Japanese "voluntary" limit on television exports.
The payments may have allowed Japanese manufacturers to undercut the retail price of each American-made television by as much as $100.
NEARLY ALL Japanese importers except Sony are implicated in the allegations, government lawyers and customs officials say.
The problem is serious. Yet the fact that the last three administrations have ignored it and may have even made secret deals is Japanese is the really serious problem.
LAST YEAR, the Treasury Department, for the second time in two years, blocked an anti-dumping action. Customs agents were preparing "Project Orme安娜," an attempt to collect $400 million in back differences, when the Treasury pulled the plug on the operation.
JRP group condones room checks
To the editor:
As concerned residents of Joseph R. Pearson Hall, we feel the time has come to express the views of those people whose families are affected by support of residence hall policy. We are particularly concerned with the biased, derogatory reporting of the incident(s) by residents.
Kenneth C. Kempf
St. Louis senior
And 11 others
Draft's usefulness shouldn't be slighted
To the editor:
UNIVERSITY DAILY letters KANSAN
I have been keeping up with the recent flurry of stories in the Kansas concerning the draft. As an Army ROTC senior, I feel it necessary to interject some bias but hopefully reasonable thought into this emotion-charged subject.
To begin with, a room-to-room safety check of the entire residence hall has been conducted. In JHP Everyone seems to overlook, despite numerous explanations, that the safety check was initiated after two possible fires had been reported to the residence director.
What shocks and surprises us is the lack of support being shown by the office of the programs in backing its decision and the status of the director says, "I would say that Rich Frolk would say that he made a mistake," it says that the office of residential programs is being fitted for the board and Rich Frolk is being fitted for the barn. The director doesn't feel he made a mistake and neither do we. If anybody does, they're in Strong Hall in the office of residence.
When the rooms in question were entered, violations of the contract as well as state and federal laws were observed. These violations included plain sight and at no time did a search occur.
The resident director then contacted the office of residential programs, informing the office of his intention to make a check of the complaints against any other violations. It must be made clear that at no time did the staff specifically look for violations of hall contract. Because of the lateness of the complaints, there was no way to notify all the residents in time.
Some of the quotes from NOTC students in your March 28 edition are regrettable. The generalization that military service makes men from boys bounds on the absurd. I am confident that most NOTC students do not understand that an enlisted person, enlistment can be a very rewarding experience. For others, it can be pure hell. The military has a nasty habit of not always being able to satisfy its employees. Consequently, this mission, this failing is easily understandable.
Most individuals responding to the article, however, risk overlooking the utility of the draft while expressing their animosity against the military. The plain truth is that the militarists want to provide the national cross-section of the population we are supposed to have in the military. Not only is it misrepresentative, it is cost-infeffensive. To compete for personnel from the militarist forces been forced to lower its standards and raise its salaries. The Department of Defense spends most of its revenue paying its employees. The result of this is that the salaries cannot be expected to meet the defense requirements of the United States.
From my limited experience with the military, I can safely say that the overwhelming majority of servicemen dread the concept of war, but realize that they are needed and should be prepared. To those who intend to do their best (or what they do), they are trained in the draft bills, or to evade the call to arms if and when it does come, I can only say that they do so solely by the grace of those who have answered the call in the past and who will,
The major draft bills do not advocate mandatory military service, but rather the refurbishment of the Selective Service system and registration so that in the event of an active duty deployment mechanisms to employ it will be responsive and effective. This makes sense to me.
A fundamental premise of citizenship is the responsibility we have to serve in the defense of the nation. Many argue about that exactly entails, as well they should.
grudgingly, sorrowfully and unhappily,
answer it in the future.
Kevin D. Johnson
Kansas City, Kan. senior
Mile should be trod in Palestinian shoes
The recent Arab protests of the Midestay peace treaty and threats by Yasser Arafat of the PLO to attack U.S. targets have been widely reported. However, few of the people repulsed by Palestinian actions and threats have taken any concrete action in such a seemingly irrational manner.
To the editor:
Assume for a moment that the Palestinians are human beings like you. Then ask yourself, what would you do if a group of persecuted people flooded into your country and used their sufferings as justification to seize control?
What would you do if when you tried to resist this takeover by foreigners from Miami Beach, New York and Northern Europe, they exiled you from the home of your forefathers and cast your national identity to the wind?
What would you do if it is a homeless people you have no forum from which to state your grievances and when you politely ask for information about how you feel they were politely ignored? And when you
What would you do when, out of desperation, you wantonly killed and the world realized it could no longer ignore you? And history has taught you that as a result of violence that has made the world sit up and take notice, you will once again be ignored!
harshly asked for their attention, you were harshly ignored?
And finally, what would you do when three men—a foreign occupier who worships a golden calf named Israel, a former ally and a man whose interest in you extends as far as the political influence you exert—sign up as your destination your destiny one step closer to oblivion?
Unfortunately, most Americans have not had an opportunity to think about the Palestinians in this way because media and social interests have not treated them fairly.
Perhaps an ingenious attorney could use the equal time laws of political broadcasting for the Palestinians to gain control of NBC for one year.
Then maybe we would see a heart-rending drama entitled "Holocaust II." It would portray the exiled Palestinian prisoners in camps in several countries. It also would show the Palestinians that remained in their homeland at the cost of neo-slavery to their ancestors.
Or maybe we would see a suspense rhaid called "Raired On Der Yassin." The star of the show is the argu gunn man. He would lead a group of terrorists into the village of Der Yassin on an April night in 1948 and kill 254 men, women and children proud enough to create a Palestinian state.
Tom Ramstack
1978 KU graduate
Salina, Kansas
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