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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 19, 1970)
'Governing' body? The time is coming again, like it does each spring, for ASUN elections. When filing ends Friday, a myriad of candidates, tickets and in some cases parties will have indicated they are ready to scramble for seats of power in our student government. But once elected, what then? If the records of the past two ASUN governments are fair examples, they probably won't do much. Is this because the senators and executives are incompetent? Are they in terested only in personal glory? Neither. The problem of ASUN is not the people in it, but its structure and its relation to other govern mental units within the University commu nity. ASUN does provide some services for the student. The World in Revolution confer ence and soon-to-be record store are examples. Likewise, ASUN appoints the students who sit on various University committees. Some of the results of the ASUN education com mittee have been valuable, and past ASUN action in housing and open hours has prof ited students. But although student govern ment does affect students' lives, how often does it affect them? How much power does ASUN as a "governing" body have? The answer to the first question is not enough, yet. The answer to the second must be very little. ASUN, and consequently all students, will never have any power sitting totally apart from the real power structure in the University. Not until students can sit equally, side by side with faculty and the administration in making the decisions which really count in the University community will they have proper control over their affairs. Whereas student government committees and appointments can get positive and progres sive results, ASUN Senate cannot. And Sen ate will never be capable of making the im portant decisions or exercising any power as long as University government is structured as it is now. THE MOST equitable, efficient and pro ductive form of government for this Univer sity would be a University Senate comprised of administrators, faculty and students. Exist ing ASUN authority and procedure is so ill defined that the Senate is unable to exert the will of the student body effectively. It is conceivable that the committees now under ASUN and the services that body performs should be retained in a separate, budgeted organization of some sort. An integrated gov ernmental structure whereby students join in the decision-making which affects them most, however, is needed to replace ASUN and give students a real voice in determining their affairs and the affairs of the University. Jim Pedersen DAILY NEBRASKAN Second class pontage paid al Lincoln, Nab. Telephones) Bdltor Vi lM, Business 47MSt, News 47125ft, Subscription rate an U par semester or ta par veer. Published Monday. Wednesday. Thunday and Friday during tha school yaar except during vocations and axam periods. Member of Intercollegiate. Prats. National educational Adver tising Service. Tha Dally Neoraskan la a student publication. Independent el tte University of Nsbraska't admlnisirelHm, fatuity end an, dant government. Address! Dally Nebraskan J4 Nebraska Union University of Nebreske Lincoln. Nebraska tesM dltorlal Staff editor Jim Pedersen; Managing editor Susan Blsannarti News editor John Dvorak Assistant News editor Ed Icenoclet Ne bresken Staff Writers Bill Smltherman, Carol Anderson, Gary Seecrest, Jen Perks. Bruce Wlmmir, Steve Sinclair, Linda Ulrkh, Mick Morlerty, Mary Pat Powler, Marsha Benoertj Photograpners Howard Rosenberg, Barb Peters, Don Tremaln Sport Editor Randy York, Llterery editor Dan Ledely, Bntertelnment editor Pred eitenharti Newt Assistant Susanne Schaferj editorial As slstent Sue Schllchtemelerj Sports Assistant Rooer Pit; Outstate News editor J. L, Schmidt) Copy editors Connie Winkler, Keren Kash, Jim Oray, Karen Holm, June Wagoner, Den Ledely Night News Editors Deve Plllpl, Tom Lonsworth, Business Stoff Business Manager Jane Kldwelli National Ad Manager Martha Toddj Bookkeeper Ron Bowllnt Business Secretary end Subscription Meneger Jenet Boatmen; Circulation Managers Jomea Stelier, Kelly Baker, Dan Ladriy Classified Ad Manager Joe Wilson Production Manager Rack Johnson Account Representatives Martha Todd, Joe Wilson, Sarah Evert, Joel Davis, Mary Dorenboch, Ken Sevenker. "Here's a little trick I picked up from Lyndon Johnson . . If you liked Vietnam, then you'll love Laos by FRANK MANKIEWICZ and TOM BRADEN Before rising congressional temper about the presence of Americans in Laos runs its course, fault is certain to be laid at the doorstep of the Cen tral Intelligence Agency. In part, this is because the agency cannot answer back. But the CIA is also a conve nient target because it has become a synonym on the far, far left for everything wrong with our foreign policy and in imical to our ideals. Some academic circles will believe anything about the CIA pro vided it conforms to the picture of a department of government out of control, responsible to none and bent upon destroying democracy all over the world. In the argument over Laos, there are points to be won on the issue of secrecy and the bewildering and contradictory communiques from the White House over casualties. But there are also alas points to be won by suggesting that our difficulties In Laos are the responsibility of the CIA. And it is this easy argument which is refuted by an examination of recent history. WE ARE in Laos, so history tells us, because President Eisenhower ordered us there and Presidents Kennedy. Johnson and Nixon acquiesced in turn. Thus, no partisan points can be scored by those who wish we weren't there and who fear the consequences. In fact, it was John F. Ken nedy who put the CIA into Laos to replace some 800 American military advisers, ordered out by the Geneva Accords of 1962. It became immediately clear that North Vietnam had no in tention of withdrawing its troops, though many were put into civilian clothes. On a much reduced scale, the United States did the same thing. Both the United States and North Vietnam then proceeded to aid "their" side of South Vietnam from the Laotian sanctuary. The North Viet namese used Laos for a supply and regrouping area, and we used its airfields as bomber bases. SO THE trouble with Laos is Vietnam. The two cannot be separated. Yet a discussion of the CIA role in Laos is instruc tive if only because it proves what Vietnam proves that a tiny commitment has a way of growing. CIA's Intelligence Job in Laos was relatively simple to count the number of men com ing down the long jungle paths from the north. The operations Job was more difficult and more Important to preserve the Laotian government as one that would continue to ask us to bomb the trail In Southern Laos. If we couldn't bomb the trail, the war in Vietnam it was thought would be immensely more difficult, though, as CIA officials have privately con ceded for some time, the bom bing In Laos Isn't working any better than It did in North Vietnam, But in order to preserve a Laotian government v which would ask us to bomb its coun try, the CIA had to' find sn army. A local strong man was ready to provide one ' and so the escalation began armies provoke armies. When CIA's army got strong enough to drive the Pathet Lao out of the Plain of Jars, the North Viet, namese began a counter buildup. By last year they were able to put 23,000 additional men Into the field and drive CIA into the corner in which we now live in Laos. IT IS NOT a comfortable corner. Tlte possibility of a deal between the Laotian govern ment and the Pathet Lao would revoke our permission to bomb the trail or to use Laotian territory at all. The moralls'.ic bombast of John Foster Dulles brought us into Vietnam. That error continued on a low level by Dwlght Elsenhower and John Kennedy was compounded by Lyndon Johnson's attempt to make that moralistic bom bast "aggression," "the Free World" - a basis for all out war. And Richard Nixon now has the Job of trying to get American troops off that sticky ground. It has been a mistake a ghastly mistake but it must be faced squarely and not blamed on the CIA. PAGE 4 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN