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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1971)
fombradon gwHJ The question behind Mr. Butz WASHINGTON We are like men about to continue a journey, looking around to see whether we have forgotten something. If we find it, do we really want it? Or shall we leave it behind? The Senate isn't so much questioning whether Earl Butz would be a good secretary of agriculture as it is asking itself: "Shall we take along that small farm?" It has served a useful past. "It gave me and my family a good living," wrote a farmer in Jefferson's time, "and left me, one year with another, 150 silver dollars, but I have never spent more than $10 a year which was for salt, nails and the like. Nothing to wear, eat or drink was purchased, as my farm provided all." But it has been of diminishing importance for a long time. Chances are you could count the senators who grew up on 160 acres on the fingers of one hand. One-hundred and sixty acres won't farm any more. "Farming is not a way of life," Mr. Butz has said, "it's a way to make a living." They measure farms these days in sales. Farms with under $5,000 in annual sales have only 8 of the market. Those who farm them earn less than $3,000 cash per year. Dear editor, I and each of the other members of the Housing Authority staff very much enjoyed and appreciated Steve Strasser's editorial (The Daily Nebraskan, Nov. 4) on the housing problems in Lincoln. His statements were properly researched and truly presented. Doris K. Kunkle Lincoln Housing Authority Dear editor. Attending a recent meeting of the Legislature's Judiciary Cqmmittee in Lincoln, I heard state fire marsh alls testify that only 36 of "over 400" jails and prisons in Nebraska have 24 hour surveillance for prisoners. This situation ensures that any prisoner will almost certainly burn to death in the event of a fire in an unattended jail or prison. No matter what crime the prisoner has committed, I believe it is criminal not to offer that person decent protection while in prison. Michael Willey Human Relations Insight League Dear editor, I am writing to ask the ASUN committee that sponsored the November fast for the Pakistani refugees to I jiiii.,..i.iiiuuiiiiii,.,i. IU, ,j ,,!, M, ,.,.,,, iiii, ,,.t..LuLJ,.i)w So maybe we ought to leave the small farm behind. Thirty million people have left it in the last 30 years; 2,000 farms a week are selling out to the large owners who control 24 of the market and gross an average of $270,000 annually. But there are disadvantages, too. The Senate seems to be saying so as it ponders Mr. Butz, who represents agribusiness, thinks the number . of farms ought to decrease and sees nothing wrong with the vertical arrangements whereby Del Monte, Swift, A & P and Campbell -Soup own or lease the land from which they buy the crop and make the product. The disadvantages lie partly in the cost and quality of food. The price goes up. We eat hard tomatoes because hard tomatoes can be picked by a machine. We shall shortly eat m hard strawberries for the same reason. Is there also a social cost in leaving the small farm behind? For every six farms which fold, a small-town business folds too. By 1980, according to the Department of Agriculture, another million farms will go out of business. Do we want to keep traces of the Middle West of Zon? Gale? Do we care about preserving crossroads provide a clarification of just exactly where the money will be sent. The money was supposed to be sent to the Pakistani refugees who are in India. However, in one piece of publicity, the statement was made that the money was being sent to Pakistan. It seems illogical that the Pakistani government would use this money to feed the people upon whom it is waging a war. I hope this is not the case, and thus ask for Editor: Gary Seacrest. Managing Editor: Laura Willers. News Editor: Steve Strasser. Advertising Manager: Barry Pilger. Publications Committee Chairman: James Horner. Staff writers: Bill Smitherman, Carol Strasser, Bart Becker, Linda Larson, Roxann Rogers, H.J. Cummins, Ranoy Beam, Ouane Leibhart, Steve Arvanette, Cheryl Westcott. Sports editor: Jim Johnston. Photographers: Bill Ganzel, Gail Folda. Entertainment editor: Larry Kubert. Literary editors: Alan Boye, Lucy Kerchberger. East Campus writer: Terri Bedient. Artist: Ai Chan. Copy editors: Tom Lansworth, Jim Clemons, Sara Trask, Jim Grey. Night editor: Leo Schleicher. News assistant: Carolyn Hull. Coordinator: Jeri Haussler. Ad staff: Greg Scott, Beth Malashock, Jane Kid well, Mick Moriertv, Jeff Aden, Steve Yates, O.J. Nelson, Suzi Goebel, Phil Merryw aether, Larry Swanson, Laurel Marsh, Kris Collins, Secretary: Kathy Cook. Telephones: editor: 472-2588, news: 472-2589, advertising: 472-2590. Second class postage rates paid at Lincoln, Nebraska. Subscription rates ar $5 per semester or $9 per year. Published Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during the school year except during vacation and exam periods. Member of the Intercollegiate Press, National Educational Advertising Service. The Daily Nebraskan is a student publication, editorially independent of the Univeristy of Nebraska's administration, faculty and student government. Address: The Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68508. towns, white houses, the traces of self-sufficiency left over from the yeoman dream? If we do, we shall have to do a lot more than question . Mr. Butz. We shall have to prop up the independent farmer with the same zeal with which we have propped up the great combines. We could start by insisting that the $4 billion annually which the government spends to buy food be spent with the independent farmer. We could fund small farmers in co-operatives; we could insist that the $234 million annually which we spend on land-grant colleges be used to pioneer and produce cheap farm equipment instead of being used to research for the benefit of agribusiness. It would require a major turnaround, and it probably won't take place. Those who yearn may ease their consciences by voting against Mr. Butz. Doing more than that would require battle with large interests who will argue, "You can't fight progress." But it is well to pause and look around. Is rural America to be a factory or a place to live? That is the real question behind the question of Earl Butz. Copyright 1971, Los Angeles Times. Brevity in letters is requested and the Daily Nebraskan reserves the right to condense letters. All letters must be accompanied by writer's true name but may be submitted for publication under a pen name or initials. However, letters will be printed under a pen name or initials at the editor's discretion. clarification. David E. Gardels Editor's note: Ann Pedersen, ASUN Human Rights Committee chariman, said the November fast for Pakistani refugees was jointly sponsored by two relief agencies-Oxfam-America and Project Relief. All money collected from the fast went directly to Oxfam's field director in India, where about 9 million people from East Pakistan have sought refuge. Interviews for Dally Nebraskan East Campus News Editor wll! be held Dec. 1 beginning 12:30 pm. Fill out application and sign up for interview in Dally Nebraskan office Rm 34, Nebraska Union. jaBmM,RMMMMMeVHB Says I, but Joe you're ten years dead. I never died says he." X Joa K2L ths rum: Joe Hill was a banjo-playing drifter who became an organizer of the vnr Jyv 434-7421 15eMfotei t54th & 0 Street fftSES Iff p,.,.. v, ISISUISS l III 'if tssesi&sSs 11 V - .V3TCKUM ' 1 A I GCCK0?3 1 .I..!. Jlv1ETROCOLORM0M Vrr 432-1465 V XSSle 13th & P Street X V, ),'d 1 ll; 111 K "awX""1"" Poromount Pictures Present I f TR.BASKJN TV CANDICE BERGEN X. : PETER BOYLE ' GPi-j JH c ' ' ' ' T...n::J:::-::v:::r::::v 12th & P StreelK j JT 'LvWoni THOMMYBERGGREN 1 1 T dreamed I saw A M I 1 1 Joe Hill last nightgy 3i tjST 1 1 J Alive as you or ne.Jo1f ""X-py ? r rT radical "Wobblies". In 1915, he was indicted for murder and executed. Many felt he was framed. It has fallen to 80 Widerberg, director of "Elvira Madigan", to tell this uniquely American story. In "Joe Hill", he chooses not to concentrate on the political being or musician but concentrates on Joe Hill the MAN. I I 1-,. ... . i ..illll I'HII'li HI III 1 1 II III Nil Illl IINIIWIHIKIIIilillil U!lliwllIMillwwwlliaIWi,WWII!llilWWWfWi IUJIWIlWIIWWWIIi nwiiin ... lnim 'iiu-snrn I T. JOAN BAEZ $ i 1 J it I ' "V . 1 j 1 ) i.i :. V., 5 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1971 THE DAILY NEBRASKAN PAGE 5