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Daily - Nebraskan editor-in-chief Barry Pilger
attended a State Department Conference on Foreign
Relations for Editors and Broadcasters in Washington,
D.C., along with 300 other newsmen last week". The
following editorial is the first of a series on American
Foreign policy.
As of January 1971 there were 700 Americans
being held under detention in foreign countries on
charges of possession, use or trafficking in illicit drugs.
This represents only a small part of the problem now
faced by the United States in dealing with the
international narcotics problem.
The most serious problem facing the nation in the
area of international narcotics is the large volume of
international trafficking that is currently taking place.
Turkey furnishes the United States with eighty per
cent of the illicit drugs now on the domestic market.
Mexico provides Americans with fifteen per cent, and
Southeast Asia contributes five per cent.
State Department efforts to curb this drug flow
have been primarily focused on Turkey. This is the
last year that Turkey will be licensing its provinces to
legally farm opiates. American officials are now
trying to find other crops for Turkish farmers to
harvest since a large share of their economy is based
on raw materials used to produce heroin.
The State Department is currently negotiating
with Laos and Thailand to secure agreements with
those governments affecting their now legal
harvesting of the opium poppy. Beefing up the laws
in foreign countries that our supply is allegedly
being produced seems to be the correct solution to the
problem. Very disappointing, however, is the fact
that the State Department has so far been
unsuccessful in urging tougher restrictions in South
Vietnam.
The U.S. now has agreements pending with Laos
and Thailand, but one can only wonder why the State
Department has not succeeded in gaining either an
agreement or stricter laws in South Vietnam.
NSGA activism
The Nebraska Student Government Association
has decided to play a more vivid role in state politics.
At their state conference last weekend in Seward,
NSGA president Tom Cavanaugh stated his desire for
increased cooperation among the member schools
with increased emphasis on political activity directed
toward the Nebraska Legislature.
NSGA's decision to lobby in conjunction with
certain bills now before the Legislature was a sound
one. The bills that they chose to lobby for and
against were wisely selected by delegates to the
NSGA.
The University of Nebraska has been a member of
the NSGA since its inception, and has been a prime
contributor in recent years.
NSGA theoretically represents all of the students
in attendance at the member colleges. However that
organization, like ASUN, is only as representative as
the students who are interested in participating. The
students who are representing NSGA's lobbying
efforts now are certainly an asset to the college
students they represent.
,"On his forthcoming trip to China, Mr.
Nixon may well visit the Great Wall, the
Ming tombs, the famed Forbidden City in
Peking and the beautiful lake district near
Hangchow, Press Secretary Ronald
Ziegler told newsmen. Mrs. Nixon, Ziegler
said, will visit such sites as hospitals and
schools - News Item."
Good morning, housewives and other
shut-ins. It's time for another tee-vee visit
with Dick & Pat in the little white house
around the corner the dramatic serial
which asks the question: "Can a marriage
based on love, trust, faith and equality
survive? And who's got one?"
As we join Dick and Pat today, Dick is
just coming into breakfast. Pat, kicking a
leg in the air, sings a few bars of "Take
Me Along." He greets her with his
customary form of endearment.
Dick: Good morning, my fellow
American. My, you look cheerful this
morning. Is it the glow that remains from
listening to my State of the Union
Address?
Pat: Oh, that, too. But I was thinking of
our trip to China together. It will be just
like a second honeymoon. It's so
thoughtful of you.
Dick: It is, in my opinion, my duty. As
the airline ads say, "On your next
business trip abroad take your best asset
with you. She'll love you for it."
Pat (ecstatic): You mean after all these
years, dear , you still think of me as your
best asset? Oh, that's the most romantic
thing you've ever said, (frowning) Do you
know, I was getting worried. It seems you
never take me out any more.
Dick: What! Why, you are only just back
from all the fun cities of Africa
Monrovia, Accra and Abidjan.
Pat: I know, dear, but you didn't exactly
take me. You sent me. And I know that
while I was gone you were slaving away in
Key Biscayne and Nassau and. San
Clemente, but . . . Well, I mean this time
we'll be together.
Dick: Let me say this about that, my
fellow American. I wouldn't have it any
other way.
Pat (clasping her hands to her heart): Just
think, dear, posing for pictures on the
Great Wall of China, the ancient Ming
tombs in the moonlight, the mysterious .
Forbidden City, boating on the gorgeous
lakes of Hangchow. Oh, I've always want
to know about these things first hand.
Dick: Rest assured, my fellow American,
that I shall tell you all about these things.
First hand.
Pat: I wonder what I should wear to the
Great Wall. . . Tell me about these things?
You mean I'm not going with you after
all? But, Dick, you promised!"
Dick: And I shall never, rightly or
wrongly, break my promises. Of course
you are going with me, my fellow
American. Who else would visit the
schools?
Pat (a glare coming over her eyes):
Schools? In the past 25 years I have
visited 53,276 schools. Seen one school.
Dick: And that's not all. You will also
visit, I am proud to report to you at this
time, hospitals!
Pat: Yes, 41,614 hospitals. Not to
mention receiving 98,432 bouquets,
547,623 handshakes, 214,608 . . .
Dick (sternly): Bring yourself together,
my fellow American! You will make the
women's pages from Peking to Canton,
while I will make the front pages. Or is it
the back pages? In any event - let me be
perfectly candid about this - I hope you
are proud to be my best asset.
Pat (nodding glumly): Well, I guess it
beats listening to a two-hour speech in
the noon sun at Abidjan.
(Copyright Chronicle Publishing Co.
1972)
PAGE A
THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1972