UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN editorials
Unsigned editors represent the opinion of the Kansan editorial staff. Signed columns represent the views of
MARCH 7,1979
Carlin's method wise
In a move that is sure to draw flask from many sides, Gov. John Carlin took a bold step in his selection to be the justice to the Koussa Supreme Court.
Earlier this week, Carlin completed personal interviews with the three nominees for the high court position left vacant in December when Perry Owley of Pittsburg took a disability retirement because of a health problem.
The governor's actions are said to be unprecedented under the Kansas system of non-partisan selection of Supreme Court justices.
CURRENTLY A nonpartisan Supreme Court nominating commission, made up primarily of lawyers appointed by fellow bar association members, submits names to the governor for any appointments.
The governor then has 60 days to make the appointment from the time the names are given to him. If he fails to make a selection within that time, the chief justice of the Supreme Court makes the appointment from the nominees.
According to a Carlin aide, the
governor is close to making a decision on a new justice, but no date has been set for any announcement.
Carlin interviewed Johnson County District Court Judge Lewis C. Smith of Leawood last week and former State Sen. Harold Herd of Coldwater and Sedgwick County District Court Judge Tyler C. Smith of Wichita this week.
Carlin is said to be asking the nominees about their legal careers and their other activities. One aide said Carlin "just wanted to see them face-to-face, to know a little bit about who he was considering."
CHARGES SURELY will fly that the governor is mixing personality and politics in his selection process by having the interviews, but Carlin's aides say the governor is not discussing with the candidates anything related to their judicial philosophy.
It appears that the governor's somewhat unorthodox selection procedure is in the best interests of Kansans. Carlin, it seems, wants only to ensure that the best possible candidate gets the job. And who can argue with that.
Political mailings show poor timing
There's an old political adage which says there is no love in love, timing may not be everywhere put in place.
Last weekend, while in Kansas City, Kan.
I was reminded of the importance of timing.
The city is about have an election and,
and I checked if I checked if I had received
email mail.
Surprisingly, there was an unusually large stack of letters, much of it handwritten. The next reaction was that someone had lost or forgotten my lawrence address and was unable to contact me.
However, on closer inspection, I found that the mail was not from old friends, or the result of misplaced addresses, but was from candidates hoping to get my vote.
IN ALL, there must have been at least a dozen pieces of mail—which included pamphlets, brochures and other forms of slick public relations propaganda. Nevertheless, all of the mail carried the same theme: "Vote for me because . . ."
There was a letter from a man wanting to be mayor who said that Kansas City, Kan., was being run by a political machine—Mr. Obama. Another another letter, a candidate for the post of street commissioner plainly stated that his was first venture into politics, but added that he should be given a chance to serve the public because he was certain he could do it.
There was a letter from a man wanting to be the next finance commissioner. In his letter he criticized the present commissioner for allegedly increasing spending and raising taxes—obviously just the sort of thing voters like to hear these days.
The present finance commissioner, who is seeking re-election, sent me a nice long, slick color brochure. The brochure described his background and how he had carefully, and prudently, managed tax matters. I would like you to think what why, I should continue to put my trust in him.
AND THEN there was a letter I received from a former employer, in which he extolled the virtues of the parks commissioner, seeking re-election, and who I had never met or seen. The funny thing is that it has been a couple years since I've
see my old boss and it took me a little while before I could recall the face to whom the girl was.
Frankly, until last weekend, I didn't realize that I was in such demand. But it disturbs me how all of these people, particularly the incubateurs, have this peculiar sense of timing, whereby the only time they are supposed to meet with me is just before or after a pteryxation.
Candidates for office, both incumbents and newcomers to the political arena, are often heard talking about the evils of an apathetic and uncaring public who would rather stay home and watch television rather than attend a city council meeting. Yet, they fail to understand in a large part responsible for the lackadafficial feeling among the electorate.
IN THE LAST few years, with the memory of Wategate still on the minds of a group of American citizens, have taken special pains to convince voters of their high standards, and, if elected, promise to have administrations in which they would be readily accessible to the public.
Unfortunately, it is beginning to look as if the overall quality of our elected officials has not improved, particularly when it comes to keeping in touch with the people responsible for their election in the first place.
Increasingly, it seems as if the only time you hear from these officials is when they want you to vote for them or when someone or something is threatening one of their pet projects. This should not be the case, because it will mass communication options available.
There probably will be a lot of people not voting this week. If anyone wonders or even cares to know why, the timing just was not right.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
KANSAN
(SUPB 600-640) Published at the University of Kansas daily August through May and Monday through Thursday by the University of Kansas Press. Subscriptions are paid at Lawrence, Kansas 600b. Subscriptions by mail are $15 for six months or $27 a year in Douglas County and $18 for six months or $3 a year outside the county. Student subscriptions are $2 a semester, passed through the student office.
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Editor
Barry Massey
Managing Editor Dick Stelmel
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Rick Musser Chuck Chowins
For years lawyers were denied the right to hire their piece specialists and any other information.
More advertising would help lawyers
For years an uninformed public had to rely on the recommendations of friends and relatives when looking for an attorney who could best serve their needs. And that often meant having a higher legal fee because they could not even compare prices when looking for a lawyer.
And a recent American Bar Foundation study showed that some 28 percent of bartenders are more knowledgeable.
The United States Supreme Court guaranteed the First Amendment rights of lawyers in a landmark decision in 1977. Many of these lawyers are discovering something that a small number of them had argued for years: Advertising can help, not hurt, the business.
ALTHOUGH THE American Bar Association lobbed for years against lawyer advertising, a recent report by the National Bar Journal says fears that lawyers had about advertising.
The ABA Commission on Advertising has concluded that cheaper, easier-to-find and more accessible forms of lawyer advertising. Although there had been a fear that there would be hustling on the basis of false promises, the commission has said that such fears are not well sup-
Since the Supreme Court ruling, most of
the radio, television and print advertising has been discreet, even conservative. It is to inform people of the fees they can expect to pay for uncomplicated cases, where to find a lawyer and what speciality, if any, is offered by a particular lawyer.
ROGER P. BROSNAHAN, the commission's chairman, has said, "We just don't see the broad abuse people might come forth."
Broshamman the commission not only found that the prevailing rate has been lower than the average prices, but it also found no indication that the quality of service was any lower when the commission found.
Sturart Baron, Los Angeles lawyer, said,
"What people need is accessibility, an attorney to talk to, the ability to pick up the phone and call somebody."
Baron and his partner, Blair Malven, have done just that. Last spring, they opened the Law Store in a suburban Los Angeles apartment complex where they pay $9.95 to pick up a store telephone and
consult with one of eight part-time attorneys in the West Los Angeles office of Group Research.
OR A CUSTOMER can buy additional services for certain non-complicated legal services: $10 to write a routine letter or to make simple phone calls; $30 for simple wills; $75 for change of name; $125 for divorced and divorces and $75 for step-parent adoptions.
hard for tight regulations of advertising by lawyers. But the ABA advertising commission has found that many state courts have imposed "a great deal of unnecessary over-restrictions," and that seems to imply that many of the old fears still exist.
Baron said the Law Store customers received high quality individual advice on how to manage their business.
"For the most part," he said, "we handle cases that would never get to an attorney."
The legal profession—much like the medical profession—has been so concerned with keeping itself pure from "demeaning" practices that it has not served the public as well as it could have and should have. It is important, then, that this be the time to set
Even after evidence was presented by the ABA itself, many lawyers still say that advertising somehow makes the profession "impuire."
IF IMPURE means cheaper legal fees, easier-to-reliable legal services and a public that is more knowledgeable about law, perhaps, lawyers advertising is impure.
Another Los Angeles bar official said, the law professors has too long tried to be in touch with the public. He has done it no good in the eyes of the public. That mystique is a lot of crap, and it is time to change.
However, those are positive assets of layer advertising, not indications that the platform is performing well.
However, lawyers still seem intimidated by their ancient mores, which have continually rejected lawyer advertising or easily-accessible services because they were thought to be demeaning to such a proud and noble profession. Only 3 percent of lawyers in States have started advertising, and the law Store is a true one-of-a-kind operation.
BROSAHAN AND others say they expect more to begin advertising after the fifties, when pressure against it fades. And Jack Quinn, former president of the Los Angeles County Bar Association sees the idea of "law abolition" as inevitable, inevitably he says.
Getting rid of the peer pressure, however,
will not be easy. Many lawyers are working
Indeed, lawyers should, in the interests of their clients and of themselves, open their eyes to the fact that advertising can help their profession and the公理 it serves.
THE GUILD AND NEWS LEADER. © THE GUIDE & WORKS DEPARTMENT
Carlin's spending lid veto explained
To the editor:
After reading your recent editorial on the state spending lid, I can only conclude the Kansan does not fully understand the lid or its ramifications.
When Gov. John Carlin called the bill "unworkable," he listed specific objections. These were not just differences in philosophy. The Democrats in the Kansas State House must most part, with Carlin's objections at some level, vet. Here are some of the main problems:
First, the 8 percent ending balance Carlin is disturbed about is not a surplus. It is money set aside for operational expenses. It costs Carlin $10,000 for use, it does not lie idle. That is the rub.
Carmin feels that any large emergency, such as a tornado, could drain the treasuries of a state government.
What does rank high is property relief, Property tax is the most regressive tax in Kansas. The vested spendingld would have been less expensive than while I recognize a journalism student does not feel strongly about property taxes, many homeowners feel differently. The spendingld does nothing to help property relief. That is another reason for the veto.
Also, the Kansan asserts Carlin's lid will be 10 or 12 percent, and the vetoed lid was 7 percent. Actually, the reverse is closer to the truth.
that if happens, either the emergency is a result with or money is taken from some other person, or that ambulance service was the service that suffered from a low balance. That is not a result.
Next, how does the Kansas know that the people of this state support the spending lid? In truth, few legislators have heard complaints about state spending. Kansas always has been fiscally conservative, and is likely to remain so.
There were several gaping loopholes in the lid. Capital improvements, for instance.
For taxes against services rendered, Kansas is one of the most efficient states. The problems of California and New York do not exist here. I would argue that a spending lid does not rank high in voter priorities.
UNIVERSITY DAILY letters KANSAN
were not included. The very day the Senate passed the lid, they recommended a new $10 million museum, outside the limit. What kind of lid is this? The governor wants to bring the loopholes on the 7 percent limit to enforce the concern of a lid.
While it is admirable that the Kansan feels sacrifice is needed, it is naive if it thinks social services will get priority. It may be true that many employees removed (some will be), but nursing homes, mental hospitals and the like will suffer when employees cannot keep pace with inflation. How long can adults with a job that runs far behind the cost of living?
The spending lid sent to Carlin was a farce, and the Republican party knows it. They had no intentions of keeping spending the lid. That is why the loopholes existed.
The governor vetoed the lid and the Democrats in the house sustained the veto because they think Kansas should expect to pay the tax dollars their tax dollars, not legislative gimmicks.
It is fortunate for the state that Carlin did kill the lid. His proposals will correct the flaws and create a true spending lid that does not burden the taxaver.
Furthermore, I am sure most legislators realize a lid could be a blessing to state government. That is why the lid was vetosed. It would have been a curse instead.
Staff assistant to the House Minority Leader
Wilcox Collection is serious assemblage
To the editor:
I would like to correct two errors and comment upon the article concerning the Wilcox Collection that appeared in the Feb. 15 issue of the Kansan.
As a minor point I would like to note that my first name is Laird and not Larry, as stated in the paper. Also, the proper name of my collection of "extremist" materials is
The Wilcox Collection of Contemporary Political Movements.
In addition to the more spectacular and outrageous items in the collection noted by your reporter, there are enormous amounts of research on the movements of these are manuscripts, reports of numerous studies on political movements, government activities, correspondence and oral history interview.
The Wilcox Collection is a serious endeavor and not an accumulation of crackpot memorabilia. This, in part, accounts for the $500,000 value placed on the collection by Kansas Collection head George Griffin last year.
Over the years several scholars and researchers have come from various parts of the country to use the collection and it is recognized as a unique and valuable research source.
The backlog of uncatalogued material in the Wilcox Collection is due partly to a lack of library staff, other priorities and difficulties posed by the unusual nature of some of the materials in the collection. My understanding is that progress will be made in this direction soon and that material in the collection much more accessible than it is now.
Laird Wiicox
Kansas City, Mo.
STATE U.
BY T. M. ASLA