Editorial Opinion All for the best Although a subsequent letter has done much to clarify the issues raised by the complaints of the officers of Interlandia ("Dance dissent," Dec. 131, some erroneous impressions remain to be dispelled. , Although there was no "panic," a great deal of last-munite decision making was necessitated by two factors: 1) a notification that Interlandia would be performing in the HUB Ballroom during the Dec. 10 International Fair which was received five days before the event, and 2) the discovery, less than three days before the event, that Interlandia planned to deviate from their written program and perform Israeli dances Since Lhe primary purpose of the International Fair was to bring together as many diverse cultures as possible, the• University-wide organi'zing committee, International Council; and lie`-Thtern tiOnal 'students `otganizing ,the event agreed that the' Organization of Arab Students, and others who might agree with their position, should not be placed in a position which obliged them to withdraw. I might add that it would have been blatantly unfair to let the preparatory efforts of these students go to waste because of changes initiated by others. The "behavior" of all international students involved in the International Fair (including that of the Organization of Arab Carter shooting craps with future By RICIIMID E. NIEYER Associated Press Write) WASHINGTON President Carter is taking what his top aide calls "con siderable risks" with his political future. Hamilton Jordan, presidential assistant and the person Carter values as his best political brain, argues that two of those risks will pay dividends. But the third looks like a crap shoot. First is the budget. Carter is cutting back some traditional Democratic programs and holding others at current levels of spending. The programs are designed to help the poor and disad vantaged. When Carter unveils his budget later this month, blacks, big-city mayors, consumer advocates and labor leaders are not likely to be very happy. It might prompt some to withhold active support if Carter decides, as most expect he will, to seek a second term. • Carter has one more budget to prepare a year from now before the 1980 election, He can give back half a loaf. And if disaffected Democrats have no one else to turn to, he might be able to persuade some of them to work for him after all. But then again, he might not. "I'd argue that, although it's upsetting to some people to cut the budget, the option is for the government not to do its part in the fight against inflation," Jordan says. "And that's the single most pervasive problem the people face." The second risk is Carter's effort to make the government responsive politically and administratively. To that end, the White House per sonnel office, under Jordan's super vision, began a review several months ago of second and third-ranking officials in the departments. It sent evaluation reports in mid-December to Labor, Commerce, Justice and Energy. The move resulted in public em barrassment. Word leaked that the White House didn't like the way Under Secretary of Labor Robert Brown and HUMAN RI 9 404 t. k> 4 0 13 ik .fp• • . o iv • Letters to the Editor Students) was responsible in every respect. Contrary to the impression left by the original letter, these students did not levy an ultimatum, threaten to disrupt the fair, or anything of the sort. They simply made their feelings known and left the decision to the responsible administrators. We, in turn, requested that Interlandia consider the sensitivities of the participating groups before deviating from the program. When our requests were refused, the groups were separated. (Interlandia ended up in the HUB Main Lounge, which, with the carpet rolled up, had been their first choice of location, anyway.) In retrospect, the decision provided for the best arrangements physically, respected the sensitivities of all concerned, and forced no censorship on anyone that I can discern. Concerned I .am a law student and I recently became aware of University Provost Edward D. Eddy's decision to arm the campus police. I believe this to be an unfortunate decision. There are enough problems with the improper use olfirearms ( ~- A*ic.li, p ;7-• James F. Lynch Jr. , assistant director, . International Student Affairs 4e/ Dec: 18 Assistant Secretary Francis X. Burkhardt were performing. Secretary Ray Marshall asked Burkhardt to resign. Burkhardt once worked for the AFL-CIO. The labor federation called the effort to oust him "a damn outrage." Jordan considers such em barrassment an acceptable risk. The review will go on. The crap shoot has to do with the image Carter will portray as an in cumbent. Can a president, who is the biggest Washington insider of all, run again as a Washington outsider? Can he still tell people he's not like all those politicians in Washington? "I think he can really have the best of both worlds," Jordan says. "On the one hand, he's reached an accommodation of sorts with the power brokers of this city, and on the other hand he has retained the boldness and the new approaches that he' brought to the presidency." The question is whether any man, even a president, can have it both ways. Penn State's towering inferno? (The following is a dramatization that could happen.) Jeez, second period in Willard and I only got four hours sleep studying for that stupid test. Why does a teacher have to give a test right after break? Now I've got to fight my way up to the third floor and then try to find a seat. Scheduling a class with 200 people in it in this classroom. These desks are so small and there's always someone humping my elbow when I'm taking notes. Ah, there's a seat over on the far side of the room. Let's see, this looks like a good location. Maybe I'll be able to catch up on some of my sleep. This class is such a drag. Oh no, here he conies. The professor. When they in vented the word drone, they must have had this guy in mind. 0.K., notebook out, pen in hand, other hand sup porting head; time to ZZZZZzzzzzzzz. "Fire! Fire! Everybody get out! Get out! Get out! There's a fire in Willard! Fire! Fire!" Huh, what? Why's everybody leaving? They really look like they're in a hurry. Maybe there's a fire or something. "Fire! Fire! Everybody out! Fire! Fire!" Jeez, there is a fire. How am I going to get out through this mess? Look at this, people climbing over the desks, pulling people away from the door to get out. I've got to get out of here! by highly trained police, let alone errors committed by less qualified campus police. Personally, I am worried about the campus policemen's being allowed to carry firearms. I have little faith in the campus police due to a previous experience with them. During my Bth term at Penn State, I was called down to the Findlay Union Building by the campus police concerning the theft of money from my roommate. I was read my rights and informed of the evidence against me. I was told that I was the prime suspect in the investigation and was asked to confess. I then realized an obvious area that the officer did not in vestigate, and I informed him of this and of•my innocence. • Sure enough, a day later I was "cleared." It was an uneasy time for me, but what really bothers me is that I had to tell a campus police officer how to do his job. That incident concerned me then just as Provost Eddy's decision to arm the campus police concerns me now. Ray J. Ltumen 111 Class of 1978 Lakewood, Ohio Dec. 27 Great debate Do fellow students there share our concern at Oregon State University that actions affecting freedom for centuries are taken in Washington, DC, and even applauded on some campuses without any review or analysis by independent experts? Sponsored "free" trips to -mainland China paid by the present regime have seduced students and faculty to return with glowing accounts of life under the communist People's Republic of China. Such propaganda seldom if ever gets countered with facts about the more prosperous life in freedom for Chinese people in Taiwan under the nationalist Republic of China. Numerous older students selected after indoctrination by the mainland regime of Mao and successors will arrive soon on our campuses. Will we take their stories at face value, or will we know the issues and facts so that worthwhile dialogue can ensue for freedom? Has your campus lecture series included even one in dependent expert on China policy? You could select from a number of American professors having real expertise on the Far East and quite able to discuss the consequences for us college students of President Carter's unilateral abrogation of the U.S. treaty with the Republic of China. Dr. David N. Rowe of Yale is just now at Sun City, Ariz., releasing his new book based on lifetime study of China en titled "U.S. China Policy Today" with a 1979 analysis of Carter's act. Drs. Ivan and Miriam London, psychologists of Brooklyn College, have interviewed many Chinese arriving at Hong Kong for insight on the China not seen in the communist conducted tours. Dr. Anthony Kubek of Troy State University, Ala. has many publications on modern Chinese history, background to Carter's act. This is impossible to try and get through this crowd. I'm going to burn to death if I don't get out of here. Finally, I made it to the hall. It's worse out here than it was in the classroom. Look at the number of people on the floor. Come on, get up. You're going to burn to death. What's the matter with them? Don't they want to save themselves? Ah, the stairwell. I'm going to make it out. I'm going to make it. Oh no, how am I going to get through that crush of people? This is twice as bad as trying to get out of Willard when the class ends normally. I feel terrible, but I've got to get out somehow. I can hardly see 10 feet in front of me now. This smoke is too thick. I've got to get back into one of the classrooms and take my chances by jumping. This is impossible. I don't even know where a classroom is. Here's a door. Thank God the room is empty. I'll just go over to, to, now stay calm, it's only 20 or 30 feet to the I "7‘ YOU REALIZE at NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE II i Professor R. L. Schuettinger of Washington, D.C., has' in sight on the intrigues in the Carter abrogation of the 1.1.5.. treaty with the Republic of China. 41 Dr. Anthony Bouscaren of LeMoyne College has written 40 lectured nationally on international policies and the con= sequences for us of such moves as Carter's treaty abrogatioi. Will fellow students demand an appearance on their cam puses by an independent American expert on China, or will the campus lectures ignore the issues of the controversy over Ihe, proposed treaty-breaking by Carter, the-"great debate; of 1979"? . Shaky ground The relations established between your government and he Chinese Communists deeply shook us. We, by all means, have been closely connected with yOur country for more than half a century, not simply in diplomatic and commercial but in cultural aspects as well. By the fact that. President Carter's policy is very damaging to oft' position, we think that we must let all your students know what we think and how we feel. By the fact that Mr. Carter's decision was unwise, we believe that he cannot, and will 1)ot, set human rights on its firm foundation. =Collegian Dave Skidmore Editor BOARD OF EDITORS: Editorial Editor, Bob Frick; Assi4ant Editorial Editors, Patty Rhule, Jim Zarroli; News Editor, Mike Mentrek; Assistant News Editors, Pete Barnes, Jerry Micco, (opy Editors, Matt Benson, Harry Glenn, Pat Kiger, Mary Anne MulliganQ Mary Ellen Wright, Diana Younken; Photo Editor, Lynn Dudiniky; Assistant Photo Editors, Chip Connelly, Joe Tori; Sports Editor, Joyce Tomana; Assistant Sports Editors, Gary Silvers, "Rick Weber; Features Editor, Gina Carroll; Arts Editor, Joyce Gannon, Graphics Editor, Della Hoke; Office Manager, Vicki Mentrek. BEAT COORDINATORS: Consumer-Business, Lynn Osgood; Facility- Administration, Colleen Gallagher; Local Government, Allen Reeder', Minorities, Vanessa Opolicky; Student Government, Bruce Becker! LAYOUT COORDINATORS: Cindy Bond, Ina Kliger, Cathy Noiris; Radio, Dan Mushalko. ground. O.K. you can do it, you found a window, no.k open it and look for a soft place to land. What the hell is this? These windows don't have ark} handles or any other way to open them. What kind ;or construction went into this place? The stairs are tk small, the windows don't open and there aren't any lire escapes. Well, if the school gets on my case for breaking , a window, I'll just have to get it through their heads Ilia I my life was at stake. 0.K., get a desk and smash one In the windows. Oh no, the desks are bolted down. I can*l get out. I can't get out, The smoke is too thick. I can't see. I can't breathe. I . . According to John D. Miller, assistant director id physical plant, the possibility of this situation occurring is nil. Ile , said the new section of Willard Building is built from incombustible materials. In plain language, the building is fire-proof. However, there is no sprinkler system in the building that would activate in the event of a fire. Miller said Willard was built in compliance with the fire and panic codes of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, during each second, third, fourth anil fifth period on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, there ' are 2,500 students h the building. Even though the of f lei als say the above dramatization could not happen, there is always Unit remote possibility. John Hewitt is an I lth-term journalism major. t I ti . { * J: Daniel S. Mohler senior-mechanical engineering Oregon,State University' Students of the Department i of PhilosUphy National Taiwan University Taipei, Taiwan, Cqinp. , Dee:. 2b Judy Stim6n Business Manager ,\ , • Dec: 20
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers