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friday, february 16, 1973
lincoln, nebraska vol. 96, no. 73
Astronauts discuss
Appollo's import
space bathrooms
"A society that ceases to look to the future has
ceased to grow," Apollo t7 crewmember Harrison H.
Schmitt,, said Thursday when he and his crewmates
kicked off UN L Greek Week by dedicating the Apollo
9 space capsule, now. on permanent display in front
of the University of Nebraska State Museum.
Schmitt, Eugene Cernan and Ronald Evans
emphasized the values in the U.S. space program
while joking intermittently about their December trip
to the moon.
"We have evolved into the universe," Schmitt said.
'There's no limit to who can participate in (the)
space (program)," he said.
"The program has meant an increase, in a very
peaceful way, to our total technological base. There
are very tangible benefits to our children and
grandchildren," he said.
The study of another planet's evolution has given
the United States an "understanding of the control
and distribution of elements and resources necessary
for human life," Schmitt said.
Cernan said one of the immediate benefits has
been in international relations.
"We are now dealing, communicating with an
'adversary' beyond the atmosphere of distress," he
said.
He was referring to a planned Russian-U.S. joint
space venture in 1975.
"Apollo has opened the possibility that people
can work together for peace for all mankind," Cernan
said.
, "Accepting the challenge is in your hands," he
told the mostly young audience.
Evans described the space trip as "delightful.
Everybody should have the opportunity to do it." .
He then said it was time-to answer the two most
frequent questions he gets.
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Apollo 17 crewmembers . . . kicked off UNL Greek Week Thursday.
"Was I scared? If you don't have just a little bit of
apprehension, you don't understand the problem," he
said.
And the question, "How do you go to the
bathroom at zero G's (no gravity)?"
He described a vacuum and a plastic bag method
but said:
"You know the saying, 'If you build a better
mouse trap people will be beating at your door?'
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we need a better
mousetrap."
Cernan said he'd been concerned about the
problem that Evans had about waking each morning.
So, Cernan said, he asked Evans' wife how she wakes
him.
;, "She said she kisses him. And after nine days in
space, that doesn't sound like a bad idea," Cernan
said.
The astronauts were commissioned admirals in the
Nebraska Navy by Lt. Gov. Frank Marsh.
Taft national primary is important for future
The establishment of a nationwide Presidential
primary election may be an important step in the
future of the American political system, according to
U.S. Sen. Robert A. Taft Jr.
The Republican senator from Ohio told about 60
persons Thursday night in the Nebraska Union that
there are several advantages in a Presidential primary.
A resolution calling for such a primary is in the works
in Congress now, Taft said.
Taft told the group that the present state primary
political contests do not offer comparable tests for all
candidates and they are not governed by consistent
oytaws from state to state.
The establishment of a nationwide primary system
would eliminate the discrepancies in the various state
primaries, Taft said.
However, the senator said he believed the primary
proposal could not be accepted without consideration
of the disadvantages involved. '
1
"Having the national primary would take the
candidates, off the streets and put them on the
television screens," Taft said. "It would take the
personal touch out of the campaigning and make
those running for office seem even more remote."
The candidates could possibly disregard the local
views and rely upon national issues only, he said, and
the candidate with the most appeal would win.
Taft said he also believes that the presidential
primary would give the wealthy candidates those
with a strong financial backing-an extreme
advantage.
"I'm afraid we would find our candidates relying
more heavily upon big business for support than they
already do," Taft said. "Overall, we would simply be
replacing the hard issues with beautiful faces."
Taft, who has been active on several committees
dealing with finance, banking, labor and insurance,
also spoke briefly about the implied disapproval by
the voters of Congress.
During the last general election, he said, many
well-known incumbents were defeated by candidates
practically unknown nationally. This, Taft said, is
demonstrative of the lack of confidence in the
legislative branch of national government.
"Before 1930 the Congress used to overpower the
executive branch," Taft said. "This hasn't happened
for some time and it seems like some voters might
want it that way again.
"For the first time in many years, it was almost a
disadvantage to have a well-recognized name on the
ballot," the senator said.
According to Taft, one way in which to create
more interest and more confidence in Congress is to
shorten the whole election process.
Taft cited examples from England, where
candidates campaign for only six weeks before
elections. He added, however, that this might be too
extreme for this country due the variety of problems
indigenous to the United States.
"Political parties should also make more use of
recruitment and research processes than they are
today," he said.
The senator outlined several plans for this
recruitment and research idea, including one which is
being discusses in Ohio.
The plan calls for a search committee vjcluyjou Id
screen various candidates and then give an
endorsement, thus making a state primary
unnecessary.
However, Taft said he would rather see a research
committee find as many candidates as possible, bring
their names to the public and expose them to the
voters.
Then, he said, the committee could sample public
opinion toward the various candidates and through
research decide upon the best candidate, still avoiding
the state primary.
CSL to define
organization status
The Council on Student Life (CSL) Thursday
charged the Committee on Student Organizations
with preparing a policy to define the status of
"all-University organizations." If approved, the policy
would permit campus organizations to grant full
membership status to its University student, faculty
and staff members and to its non-University
members.
The committee's charge resulted from a request by
Ron Bowlin, a member of the University Friends of
the arts, that the organization be recognized as an
all-University organizaton. Bowlin said there was
some confusion about the status of the arts group
because membership in the organization is not limited
to students.
In other business, the council approved a report by
a CSL subcommittee on the Campus Handbook. The
report recommends that several sections of the
handbook be reworded or reorganized.
The subcommittee also recommended the section
dealing with "Expectations of University Students,"
be replaced by the Code of Conduct and Disciplinary
Procedures, recently approved by CSL.
The body also voted to appoint three CSL
members to meet with the Faculty Senate Liaison
Committee and ask them to urge the Faculty Senate
to take action on the conduct and discipline code.
The Faculty Senate tabled the code at its meeting this
week.
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