editorial
.
Let them
eat grain
The difficulties a Nebraskan might have in
comprehending the possibility of a world famine
aren't too different from the problems a hermit
might encounter when contemplating a population
explosion. A 10-minute drive from downtown
Lincoln can put a person into some of the most
productive farm land in the nation.
But beyond America's borders, the threat of
starvation is a constant companion to some.
Mexico is an example. It has only 7,600 square
miles of arable land and its population is
booming. In 1950 it was 25 million. Today it is 52
million. By 1990, according to Mexican
government estimates, it will be almost 100
million, about half the population of the United
States.
Its limited agricultural resources already force it
to import tons of raw foodstuffs from the U.S. The
same is true with the Soviet Union, Japan and
India.
This demand on U.S. food supplies has helped
send prices soaring. The beef price freeze and
subsequent shortages this summer' were a reflection
of what other nations have faced for generations.
The events of this summer already have begun to
affect our patterns of consumption. U.S.
government experts have said there appears to be
an increase in the amount of meat substitutes
consumed by the average American.
But this sort of change is not enough. If we are
to ward off fears of chronic food shortages and not
jeopardize our international balance of trade by
Mil Oi
curtailing agricultural exports, a more
change in habits is needed.
We are a nation of meateaters.
recommend a change from that diet m
Nebraska, border on heresy. But a i;h
needed. For instance, Nebraska cattle ead
about 21 pounds of plant protein to procA
pound of meat protein. Half of the h.?
agricultural land in the nation is planted w;
crops, and 78 per cent of our grain is
animals. This is higher than any other cou
the world. Russia feeds about 25 per a
grain to animals, and developing court trie
animals between 2 and 10 per cent of their'.
Some will say meat is necessary to a h !
diet, but there is too much evidence 1
contrary. Recent research has shown likM
proteins complement one another and pin
protein as complete as that of nit, '
supplying about twice the amount of vit. :.
minerals found in fish and meat.
Not only does the American diet derp-v
use of more protein to produce less of r I
table, but the demands for this less vaki. :-.;-
are increasing. In 1940, per capita consnm
beef in the United States was 55 pounds n
now is 1 1 7 pounds.
We cannot expect to feed ourselves
world if we allow this sort of waste to con!
change of eating habits is in order, evi.-n
T-bone looks and tastes better than soybuu;
Michael (O.J.)
1 1
'. : i i
JL jdf4'i '' "'
Whatever the question, Nebraska votes
Nebraska has two votes in the U.S. Senate. They
are tjoth "no," and have been for a long time.
Reading the results of roll call votes in Congress is
enlightening. Obviously, it's much more confusing to
be in the House of Representatives. Congressmen
Charles Thone, Dave Martin and John McCollister
vote all sorts of ways: "yes," or "no," or whatever
the issue seems to call for.
No such mayhem in the Senate, though. Nebraska
votes "no," whatever the question. A legend, but a
believable one, says that Sen. Carl Curtis once cast his
"no" at what he thought was the appropriate time.
"But, Senator," the President of the Senate said,
"the roll call is merely to determine whether you are
in the chamber. The junior senator from Nebraska is
in the chamber, is he not?"
"Hmph, er, urn, of course." Alas, poor man, he
just couldn't say it
Sortie have argued that the two senators vote as
President Richard Nixon tells them to. Nixon is
aj.iinst a lot of things so Curtis and Roman Hruska
are, too, or so the story goes.
Well, that rumor needs some amendment. If
Nixon is opposed, Nebraska's senators are, indeed,
yop posed. And if a "yes" vote means "no," as it often
does in delilx'tutivc Ixidies, they both vote "yes"
("no"). But if the I'lcsident is "for" something or
doesn't take a position, they vote "no," to avoid
confusion. That dors ,jv i I runfusion, doesn't it?
Well, doesn't it?
Some of the things tl.r ivo have been against
lately include:
1. The Witt powt-is bill, n In mj oih.c and for all,
(as if the Constitution didn't), th.it Congress shall
have the power to tU; hue vv.it.
eith lor idgren
desperate
remedies
2. The minimum wage bill, raising the amount
paid the nation's pool to ,i slightly less insulting
figure. The bill passed, but Nebi.isl ,
the last laugh: the Presided vetoed th l
3. The proposal to cut ofi k,
continuation of the war in Laos and ,i,
Then there are Curtis' and Minsk,
other issues. Curtis was a leadet in the ,
the Watergate hearings this summi.i
Hruska, in New Orleans last Augisi
increased gun control. But he was "i
else that same day: the grain sales to iin
Actually, the main problem im't
negativism. It's that they've been ,iioh:
have piled up a lot of seniority. Both
the 1950s and now Hruska is 1 1 it
Republican in the Senate. Curtis is ngi ;
ranked sixth. People tend to listen to : i -the
force of senility, er, seniority bs-h.i. '
There's a remedy for all this and, y.
desperate: J. James Exou for sen itm m
Now, people will say: "Hey, wait
Exon isn't exactly a piogicssivr. Il
quite a bit, too. Gosh, he's an ,r. I ! I
and Hruska."
Well, all that is ulisolutHy inns i'h
wouldn't have any seniority.
ii
'!; I
page 4
thur
SU.'y,
t i
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