editoria
Axing the good life
The latest state agency about to feel the bite of the
federal ax is the State Dept of Roads. For once, the cut
doesn't involve money. At issua are 28 signs along 1-80
that say "Nebraska, the Good Life," aimed at
convincing outstate and "just passing through'
motorists that Nebraska does have something to offer in
the way of tourism. , ,
It's ironic that the person wielding the federal ax is
Norbert T. Tiemann, a former small town bank
president who eventually ended up in and out of the
Nebraska executive mansion Just south of the Capitol,
which one of the signs advertises.
A few months after Nebraska voters denied hini a
second gubernatorial term, President Nixon appointed
Tiemann as federal highway administrator. Tiemann has
given the state two options: It must dismantle the signs
or transplant them at least 660 ft a beyond the road. A
move, however, would be useless. At tha$ distance the
lettering would be too mlniscule to readLW .
Tiemann's reasoning in this order is off base. When
the tourist information signs were set up in 1972, so
were signs alerting motorists to the time and frequency
that radio stations would broadcast. information about
road and weather conditions. Wrjen 'the., National
Advisory Committee on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices recommended that both the "Good Life" and
radio signs be removed, Tiemann. overruled it in favor of
the radio signs. They can stay, he said, but the tourism
signs must go. V rz-
Tiemann's directive is inconsistent, and it s good that
the Roads Dept. is both fighting it and seeking to make
the signs, which are simple in desigri and match other
interstate information guideposts, part of a national
program. In a state such as Nebraska, without
multimillion dollar budgets to finance promotion of
tourist attractions that are, frankly, limited, the signs
I provide a much .needed service. Nebraskans should
petition Tiemann to reconsider his order.' '
Mary Voboril
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First, the good news., .then the bad news.
structure
compounds
its woes
mary
trn. j'.,. ji1?".
. s Well todav'i the bia dav. ASUN election results are
undoubtedly", printed somewhere else in this paper. I don'f
know What fHey are yet, but it doesn't matter. I've seen
races for dogcatcher with more interest.
Part of the trouble is our herd instinct. ASUN is out of
style. It Isn't cool to wrestle with significant details. Better
to hang around the fountain and hope for streakers. All
together, now . . . "Moooo".
But lately we notice more and more that ASUN lacks
real power. There is a repetition of issues, a lack of new
ideas, a scarcity of leadership, and an even greater shortage
of followers.
I KmiM make a case for the inherent ineptitude of the
student leadership, but it would get me into much trouble
end miss the boat, besides. Rather, much of our
government's worthlessness can be blamed on its structure.
Whether or not the ASUN constitutional revision passed, its
structure can and should be changed.
Unless you are in ths College of Architecture, which
only has one senator, it is not possible to identify who
represents you. In fact, no one does.
The senate ought to be rearranged so that each senator
' has a definite constituency. With 35 senators, that works
out.jto about .500 people per representative-not an
unmanageable ratio. It will probably be objected that there
are technical problems involved, but surely between al! the
brainpower around here and the University's computers
- something can be worked out.
Another weakness in the present system is that ASUN
ignores the other important student organiiations-the
Rtstdenca HalL Assoc., and the Nebraska Union, and so
on-Unlesi 'ihe'y happen to blunder into each other and start
a squabble. Allowing representatives of those organizations
to fit speajj, in the senate, without a vote, could save
trouhl. ,.. - - ...
One T of the- strangest problems ASUN has is its
anonymity. Neither the people involved or the issues they
present. are very visible, although they are sometimes
important ind often interesting to an informed public.
The situation is complicated by the monopoly held by
ASUN executives over visible positions. Since they both
; lead the se( wite and act as executives, there isn't much room
for' anyone else. Often, the next most influential person in
' the public view, is the senate's speaker pro tern. To give the
senate a chance to go its own way, the executives should
not be a part of it. The senate should have a structure and
leadership of its own.
If a means could be found to persuade the University
"ff administration to loosen up a trifle on its insistence on
VjsJIl II iN-JI I , administrative control, so as to permit ASUN some room
fnr rroatiwitv. It ought to come back to life. For all the
discission on that pointiest amendment, little has been said
ibn-jt oredselv what reforms are needed. It's time we
started thinking.
71 I
y u
page 4
daily i
Hope sings
Dear editor, . . .
Tuesday night Abel-Sandoz Residence Halls were victimized
by the growing number of Christian proselytizers. They came in
the form of a singing group, "The Hope," and played in the snack
bar. They came for the sole purpose of proselytization.
They used the facilities of the residence halls with the full
knowledge and permission of the Complex Program Director
(CPD). They started off with testimonials and prayers. Being on
state property, they violated University and state policy in doing
so. I live in Abel Hall, and I feel it is my right to live where I want
without having Christianity or any other doctrine pushed on me
or anyone else.
The basic Christian philosophy is that of universal conversion,
and many people here are evidence of that. It is my sincere hope
that these organizations responsible for the programs restrict their
activities in the residence halls to posters for activities outside the
halls and go about their way without treading on my freedom or
others. The residence halls are for students to live in, not to be
preached to in. If they want to do it, let them do it elsewhere
besides my horr p.
I hope that i.'i the future these programs are more carefully
considered by the CPD's and program chairmen with
consideration given to the rights of ail students before anything
resembling this occurs in a residence hall again. I would like to see
the individual's right to freedom of religion without outside
interference be resurrected and live again here.
Joe Eisenberg
Qriffrvrr orkli ififjrj
Dear editor,
If you have been in the Nebraska Union lately, you have
surely noticed that the condition of the carpet is growing worse.
At times, it approaches the absolute slimy. We could be more
lurid. To prevent this decadent decay and to obfuscate this
offensive crisis, we offer thy only mature solution. Spittoons,
tastefully designed, of course, must be placed at convenient
locations throughout the Union, such as in front of those
unredeemable doors which we can't use because of the energy
crisis. We must expect expectoration.
Huck P. Tooey
Sunrise story
Dear editor, . .
I appreciate the coverage given Sunrise Communications sn
regard to our radio station project, through both the front page
story and the editorial (Daily Nebraskan, March 6). However, I
would like to point out an erroi- in the reporting. It is Tom
Headlcy, and not myself, who works with Ron Kurtenbach at the
Lincoln Gazette.
Tom Gedwilio
thursday, march 14, 1974