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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 1962)
1 0 V JLLJo 1L .V. w I think that there is to a substantial extent, a spirit of defeatism and apathy pervading Nebraska. It is a kind of nega tive, sickness that leads to a search for scapegoats and demagogues. It prompts a desire to hide the head in the sand, a refusal to face tough facts. It doesn't pro mote a patient, solid, constructive pro gram of improvement Driveling Inanities It is demonstrated by political leaders who spend their energies decrying social ism and communism. Example: On Mon day, March 12, 1962, at Kearney, the Re publican state chairman is reported to have given a rousing speech urging coun ty party leaders to walk the streets of their towns warning the voters about the dangers of the socialistic trend of gov ernment. (19) Now why, pray tell, was not the chairman viewing with alarm some of the facts about Nebraska that you and I know? Examine the speeches of the gubernatorial candidates of both parties. With one exception, Mrs. Ralph Brooks, we have an exchange of driveling inani ties. Dr. Fred Schwarz was overwhelmed by the turnout at his Omaha lecture on the perils of communism, so overwhelmed that he will come back and conduct a school in Omaha on the subject. On April 6 and 7 we were favored in Omaha with a very high level study of communism at 'the Joslyn Memorial entitled "Cold War Strategy Seminar" sponsored by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the Ne braska Bar Association and others. Don't misunderstand me. I'm as frightened of Nikita and Mao as the next red-blooded patriot. But of the really relevant, press ing problems facing Nebraska at this in stant, socialism and communism are so far down the list they're on another page. We understand this. It's easier to be more certain of what you are against than to espouse what you are for. Maybe if we ignore the problems of the state requiring affirmative action and concentrate 'on fighting communism the state problems will go away! Yes, this is a kind of negative sickness. The negative sickness evidences itself in anti-intellectualism . 'Twas ever thus. Somehow the clever ones,- the eggheads, are to blame for all of this. For the past few weeks, the focus of the anti-intellectual attack has been the University of Nebraska. The extension service of the University has been conducting local semi nars and discussions throughout the state on systems of state taxation. These have been praised as quite objective.' Surely this IS a relevant topic in Ne braska. Yet, on February 21 we had the attack on the western flank by legisla tive candidate Terry "The Terrible" Car penter. He openly threatened the Univer sity's budget if it didn't shut up. (20) At the center, -Grand Island, we had the sniping of the group known as" the "think and act" committee. On the Eastern flank, on February 17, the Omaha Worjd Herald Act then think??? published a cartoon showing a cap and gowned scholar labelled "University of Nebraia" with two bearded hill-billies labeled "Sales Tax" and "Income Tax" riding on his trailing gown. It bore the caption: "Better ,keep his skirts clean." As you can see, it was a thinly veiled threat rather similar to Terrible Terry s. A week earlier, on February 8, the World Herald carried a letter signed by one Wray M. Scott accusing the University of immorality, unethical conduct, stooping to the gutter and being a prostitute in hiring a football coach and carrying on tax edu cation throughout the state. (21) On Mon day, April 9, in a press release supplied by an Omaha advertising firm, this same Mr. Scott announced the appointment of a Dr. Burkhardt as executive director of the Association of Nebraska Taxpayers, Inc. with these words: "Although he has a Ph D , Dr. Burkhardt knows the mean ing of hard work." (22) Who is this Mr. Wray M. Scott? Why, he was one of a group of highly respected, highly placed Omaha eitizens who in 1961 incorporated this "Association of Nebraska Taxpayers, Inc." to fight the broadening of Nebras ka's tax base. (23) I do not intend to imply guilt by association by suggesting that the seven other highly placed Omaha citizens subscribe to Mr. Scott's intem perance. But I DO assert that all of this is a revival of the old know-nothing po litical party, anti-intellectualism and that it is a symptom of negative sickness rampant in Nebraska. My point is made. We are not poor. We are lagging behind our neighbors in many fields, neighbors whose economies are not too unlike our own. We have a spirit that is destructive rather than con structive. Why is it so for us? It is true that we are an agricultural state, that the farmers have substantial probems, that there are less farmsteads and fewer people em ployed in agriculture each year. But, is this not likewise true for Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota? Well, what is there that is so peculiar and unique about Nebraska that it is un able to keep pace? Our state is rich in soil, water, scenic beauty, covered by a net of electric power. Our political atmos phere is remarkably free of corruption. Our people are the tough, hardy, sons and grandsons of Old Jules 'the settlers, the pioneers. They lived in soddies, fought grasshoppers, drought, blizzards and made a noble and rich birthright for us. They produced some great ones: Ros coe Pound, William Jennings Bryan and dozens more that you know as well as I. There is in our breeding strength, cour age, shrewdness, toughness. What is it that makes us different? Look at the unique governmental structure. We are the only state having a non-partisan, unicameral legislative body. If we were to focus on the most dominant reason for our difference, it would be here. The uni cameral, rather than bicameral, feature seems all too good. But the nonpartisan ship of the body means that there is no way to focus on state-wide responsibility or cohesivjness. Each senator is exces sively parochial in his legislative ap proach. New groupings form in each leg islative session based often on personality. , There is no party policy or position on matters of important state-wide concern. Our situation is that of the French Cham ber of Deputies with 43 one-man political parties. Key to .Inefficiency The key to the ineffectiveness of inef ficiency of the legislature is simpler power without responsibility. Without state-wide responsibility, state-wide policy is really non-existent. Without responsibility, there is no clear institutional vehicle for sub ordinating the excessively parochial out look to the .state-wide outlook as there is in other states. For all practical purposes the labels Republican and Democrat as relating to state government in Nebraska are devoid cf meaning. Yet, we carry on as though the parties had significance in this area. Hugo Srb," chief clerk of the Nebraska Legislature, in a story dated April 5 car ried in the World Herald, purported to criticize this view. He said that I ob viously didn't know much bout the Ne braska Legislature. This I will concede. I ask only in return that my friend Hugo concede that he obviously didn't know much about my thesis. We are entirely ;. harmonious. Mr. Srb says that the sena tors are totally responsible to the constitu: ents in their legislative districts and that there is no group commanding any loyal ty or any party standing between those electors and their elected senators. Ex actly so, Mr. Srb. . Unfortunately so, Mr. Srb. If there is any difference between us it is one of emphasis. You are more certain in your expressed conviction than I that the senators are almost totally pa rochial and that there is almost no state wide core of responsibility on the part of the senators. But what I am saying here is well known to you. This debate has been going on since the mid-thirties when the non partisan legislature was started. Both parties have taken a position supporting a return to a partisan legislature. It may take a constitutional convention to bring it about. It doesn't seem likely that the Nebraska Senate can muster the leader ship or responsibility to put the question to the voters by way of constitutional amendment. It may, in fact, take action by an arodsed non-partisan or bi-partisan citizens' action group to accomplish the task. Then let us look at the governor of Ne- braska that nice gentleman who ranks below the football coach in salary status. He-gives speeches, cuts ribbons, attends conferences of governors, bestows admiral . commissions in. the Nebraska Navy, blesses new churches. In general he per forms all the functions of an emasculated monarch. Gubernatorial campaigns are re duced to the level of pap because they are for a title and office largely honorary In nature. True, we believe that the gov ernor has responsibility. But he has no power 1 Here we have the converse of the state senator: responsibility without power. The governor is Lke a general without an army. Whom does he lead? To sum up this point: in my opinion, the prime reason for the failure of Ne braska to keep up with neighboring states is that we have a legislature that has power without responsibility and a gover nor who has responsibility without power. In this situation of mild chaos where each candidate for senator or governor, or person elected to those offices, is sim ply a distinct personality, the press has strong veto power. Candidates and office Governor: Responsibility, but no power . . . holders are apt to suffer from recurrent World Heralditis a Nebraska disease that causes a mild weakening of the spine among political aspirants and office holders. Before speaking out on an issue one must think carefully about whether or not the Herald is for or against it and water down an expression or tailor it to fit the Herald's known proclivities. In many respects the Omaha World Herald is an excellent newspaper. It is our most truly statewide newspaper. This places it in a position of power, a power which becomes an awesome responsibility in a state where campaigns for senator or governor are personality-beauty con tests rather than a forum for issues. You may have heard this cartoon quip: "Are you here with the solution or are you part of the problem?" I think we may ask the World Herald this question in all seriousness. I'm afraid it's part of the problem because its editorial policy is incredibly naive. It rails against the federal monster. It denounces the Wash ington dragon. Yet it favors Hill-Burton . federal funds to build the magnificent medical center in Omaha. It is pleased with federal interstate highway monies to help solve a. part of Omaha's arterial traffic problems. It voices no objection to the fact that Nebraska is 23rd in its de pendence on federal aid to education and 49th in state aid to education. Do you have any recollection of an editorial stand taken by the Herald opposed to the spend ing of federal monies in the Omaha area? Did the Herald fight the new Omaha post office? Location of Strategic Air Command headquarters at Offut? Is it now stridently opposing federal funds for Omaha urban redevelopment? Moment of Truth On April 4, the lead editorial in the Herald was devoted to what it apparently thought was a defense to this indictment which I first delivered on April 1 from the pulpit of the Omaha Unitarian Church. In a full column the Herald pleaded what in law practice is known as a confes sion and avoidance to the charge. That is, it admitted the charge was true and then sought to justify, excuse or rational ize its conduct. We are, said the Herald editor, against these federal spending pro grams on principle. On principle, we fight the enactment by the Congress of federal spending laws such as, for example, Hill Burton hospital funds. However, if the Congress is so unwise as to pass such destructive legislation, then says the Her ald editor, Omaha must, Must, MUST get its rightful share of those funds. In other words, principles are all very well unless there is real money involved. This is what the editor was saying without being fully aware of it. When the price is right, our principles can be bought. The Herald is to be congratulated on its candor. This moment of truth is refreshing. I must not create a fal.-e aura of sanc timony in my exposition. I was opposed, for example, on principle of Iowa's adop tion of a law giving a bonus to veterans of World War II. Yet, as an Iowa veteran, I stepped right up to the treasurer and collected my bonus along with the rest of the vets, principled and unprincipled. You see, the Herald and I and most of you are practicing pragmatists. We stand revealed and embarrassed as confessed hypocrites at this moment. So let us hence forth proceed, Mr. World Herald Edi tor, from this exquisite instant of agony to call a spade by its proper name and know that you are much closer in your philosophy, to the Potomac than you are to the Platte or to the Missouri. The World Herald opposes a broadened tax base for the state of Nebraska with a near paranoid frenzy. As a substitute it calls for better enforcement of the prop erty ta laws. Yet, where stands the Her ald on the property tax-exempt status of the Aksarben race track and betting par lor a flagrant abuse of constitutional exemption privilege? No, not an abuse, really, a blatant violation that few people in this state outside the sanctuary of a Unitarian pulpit would have the temerity to mention. The local gods strike down those who milk the sacred cows. There are deeper and more disturbing implications to this that transcend my momentary provocation at the patent hypocrisy of the Herald and all that group of well-meaning but misguided Ne braskans it either leads, follows, or both. The implication is just this: it would ap pear that our prime urban center, Omaha, is tending to place evermore reliance upon a closer and closer tie with the federal government while at the same time its reliance upon state governmental solutions and services is lessening. Perhaps this is a trend, nationally, with regard to urban centers. Perhaps Tocqueville spoke truly in 1835 when he stated that the older a democratic community is, the more cen tralized will its government become. (24) The Negative Sickness Yes, it may all be part of an inevitable senescence of state governments. Perhaps what you hear this morning is the moan of an old fashioned conservative sighing for the good old days when a state was a state with a strength and flavor of its own, run by local folks, interpreting local needs. It may just be that by its more pronounced abdication of responsi bility in the areas of service I reviewed for - you,- Nebraska, rather than lagging behind, is in the forefront of a trend to ward total federal reliance.. And, the World Herald, rather than being the re actionary journal you think it is, in real ity is crypto-socialist or crypto-federalist, hastening us toward the vortex of the federal whirlpool. What irony! I wish it were not so. But until we can cure the negative sickness, until we are able by some means to find or create true leadership, until we can rid ourselves of the non-partisan legislature, until we can coordinate power and responsibility, we shall continue to be a state too timid to live. Documentation i. t. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 1, 17. IV. 19. 20. 31. 22. 23. 24. t-. i , nj..ttM, AMAtattrwi. KMAi-4t Aenort. r.llUIUll IWMV.iiuii ..w.u- . - - 1M2-R1. Table 37 Per Capita Personal Income, 1960, P- 34. . .. ....... ..,. Op ctt.. Table 40 Pergonal income uww rer i-uku Enrolled In Public Elementary and Secondary School tn 1960, p. 3S. . l Op ctt Table 23 Percent of Elementary School Teacher's with at Least Four Yearn ot College Prepar ation, 1960-61. p. 21. , . , . Op cil., Table 24 Estimated Average Salaries of Clasaroom Teachera in Public Schools. 1961-62, p. 24. Lincoln State Journal, July 13, 1981. Ibid. . National Education Aaaoclatlon, Research Report. 1962-R1. Table 56 Estimated Revenue from Stat Sources per pupil in ADA. 1961-62, p. 45; Table 1 Eatimated Percent of Revenue for Public Elementary and Secondary SchnoU Received from Federal Gov. ernment. 19M-62. p. 48. Statistical Abstract of the United States. 1961, Ex penditure by Statea on Public Parka. P. 192. Telephone interview with Gregg Smith. State Cam Commiailon, Capitol Building, Lincoln, Nebraska. March 14. 1962, at 1:50 p.m. Ibid. i -.1- c... I..M.I .Tnlv 9A. 1 Clfin Utnvm tyvmvK ' J Lincoln State Journal, February 17, 1962. Interview Governor Frank Morrison, Lincoln State Journal, April 2. 1962, p. 1. Nebraska R.R.S. 1941, 24-201.01: Lincoln State Journal, March 16, 19S2. . . . . . . . Comment by Freeman Decker, State Superintendent of Education, reported Oncoln State Journal, July 13. "Business In Nebraska." University of Nebraska Nsws. No. 200. May, 1961. "Business In Nebraska," University of Nebraska New No. 206, Nov., 1961. , National Education Association. Research Report. 1962-R1. Table 8, population 66 years of age and old or as percent of total population, I960, p. 12. Lincoln Star, March 13, 1962. Lincoln State Journal, February 42. 162. Omaha World Herald, "Public Pulse", February , 1962. Lincoln State Journal, April 9, 1962. Nebraska Farmer, June 17, 1961. DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA by Alexia De Tocouevlllo, The Great "ook Foundation, 1955, Chicago t, IUIootsv P. 91. Those Federal Handouts tlil!lllllllllll!:!lllllllllllllillllllllllllllllltlll!tllll(llllllllllllllllll!llllll!lllllllll( I HEAR I S3 I ROGER DICKESON 1 SPEAK ON 1 E "Would a Partisan Legislature Cure Nebraslia's Sickness" NEXT THURSDAY J 1 NEBRASKA UNION luiUIIEIUIIIIlUUIIIIIllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllIlllllllillilltlllllUUItlllllllHIIIIlil 1 it t 7 I a ' I 6 J a- ,