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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1972)
daily (niobffogCsafiii thursday, march 16, 1972 lincoln, nebraska vol. 95, ho. 86 r Chambers calls war hearing 'passing fancy7 by Steve Arvanette Approximately 100 people attended an open hearing Wednesday afternoon in the State Capitol's east senate chambers on an "Indochina War Resolution" drafted by Nebraskans for Peace. Before saying, "My time is up, 1 have to go," and walking from the old senate chamber, Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers told those present their concern over the war in Southeast Asia was a "passing fancy." The hearing, chaired alternately by Senators Terry Carpenter of Scottsbluff and John DeCamp of Neleigh, saw 33 individuals testify. Among them were politicians, candidates for political office, clergy and spectators. At the close of the hearing Carpenter urged the drafters of the resolution to rewrite it into a form that could receive favorable action by the . Unicameral. Nick Meinhardt said Nebraskans for Peace would attempt to "drop some of the descriptive language" from the resolution. Calling Thursday's hearing "very disappointing," Chambers asked those present, "Do you think this resolution passed by the Legislature will impress anybody? "I'll sit here again and listen to you," Chambers said. However, he termed the hearing "a waste of our time." Chambers criticized at cates of the resolution as having "shallow and supen . jial" concerns. Don Reeves, president of Nebraskans for Peace, spoke first on the resolution. He said the purpose of the resolution was to "restore confidence and trust" in America. A 25-minute slide presentation followed with Meinhardt criticizing the present war was the US. is conducting in Indochina. "Until we end the automated air war, there will be no peace in Indochina," Meinhardt said. The resolution, if passed by the Legislature in its present forms, "urges the President and the Congress . . . to immediate cease the air war, withdraw all U.S. troops from Indochina, end all support for the Thieu dictatorship, and turn their attentions to growing W i Chambers. . ."Do you think this resolution will impress anybody?' socio-economic problems and growing unrest here at home." The resolution charger the war in Southeast Asia with causing "growing unemployment, underemployment. . . the ineffectiveness of our welfare system, the deterioration of oar environment.". Noting the U.S. has "dropped over three times the amount of bombs dropped by US. forces in all theaters of World War II," it says the war is "not winding down for the Deople of Indochina. 'The once proud image of our country continues to deteriorate rapidly throughout the world. . . American people have been bled white in a war that cannot be wg ji," the resolution charged. Wallace Peterson, candidate for the Democratic nomination to the US. Serene, called continuation of the war "vain pursuit of unattainable goals." He urged the U.S. set a date for total withdrawal of all American forces under the condition that prisoners of war be released. Kathy Braeman, Republican candidate for the First Congressional District nomination, spoke for the resolution as did ASUN President Steve Fowler who is a candidate for the Nebraska Legislature. DeCamp, another Democratic candidate for the US. Senate nomination, charged the war caused drug problems for 400,000 American veterans. "Greatness is being able to admit making a mis take," DeCamp said. "It is no longer a mistake for us to be in Vietnam -continuation is a crime." The Neleigh state senator said the war could have , resulted in one "benefit" for the country. "For once we've looked into ourselves as a country," he said. Objections to the continued involvement in the war came from Bea Richmond of the City-Wide Tenant Association. She charged the U.S. with spending 50 times the amount of money for defense than for housing and urban renewal. Louis Cooper, former human rights coordinator of the Lincoln Action Program, said blacks had to bear an unproportionate amount of combat duty but were denied officer positions. '"'"Tn',,'::,' i ii I..U" H'T'in mL n , n .n.rMI .i,- Wolf ley urges Prokop censure A resolution calling for faculty censure of Regent Robert J. Prokop was introduced in the Faculty Senate by Lawrence Wolf ley, an instructor in English, at a meeting of the senate Tuesday. The resolution states: "Be it resolved, that the Faculty Senate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, recognizing a clear moral obligation to principles of intellectual integrity, does hereby formally censure Regent Robert J. Prokop for plagiarizing his article on homosexuality in the Douglas County Gazette, January 4, 1972, in that he did not cite any source in a book by Edmund Bergler, Homosexuality: Disease or Way of Life (Hill and Wang, Inc., New York, 1957), and in so doing most probably violated US. copyright laws." Because the resolution was introduced as new business it could not be voted on at the meeting but will be the first item of business at the senate meeting April 11. At the meeting Wolfley also distributed copies of the following challenge to the faculty. "What would you do if a student plagiarized? You would flunk him or her, wouldn't you? What have you done about the plagiarism committed by Regent Prokop? Nothing, so far, obviously. Do you intend to . do something? Well, man" students hope and expect ' you will do something, and nowl Today!" The resolution was not submitted for political reasons, Wolfley stressed. Wolfley said he was "shocked" that only a few people have become incensed by the plagiarism and that Prokop did not voluntarily resign. "Something like this anywhere else would require his resignation," he said. The larger issue of faculty accountability is also involved, Wolfley said. The NU faculty has not been accountable to the moral position students can rightfully expect them to take, according to Wolfley. The faculty has a long history of not taking a stand on issues which concern students, he said. "They have neglected their responsibility to protect students." Wolfley said several students who discussed the resolution with him said they felt the faculty would be "too chicken" to support it. According to Wolfley, if the resolution does not pass, "it will show the faculty has no concern other than handing out grades at the end of the semester." Faculty members voting against the resolution will be exhibiting "fear of personal economic reprecussions." he said. Wolfley encouraged all students to discuss the resolution with their professors and to urge the faculty to vote for the resolution. Information pamphlets stating the evidence against Prokop will be made available to students next week, he said. 1
