Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 1974)
Election pickrnay spur congressibnif r ef orm This week's national election rest' fts "hold , ' .tor such reforms: some promise of much-needed reform in the The wave Of 61 retiring congressmen 94th Congress. .'--. ntne senators and 52 representatives means Americans have debated the ' merits ofvK; that a majority in both houses of the new Congress' internal organization since the two-' : Congress will consist of members elected in houses were established, but change, rarely nas loiiowea. congressional -effectiveness still is hindered by such practices as Jhe seniority system. " ' - . "Important bills, such as the one th1s"yfear which would have created a consumer protection agency, have been waylaid; by only, the last six years. This represents the most sweeping turnover since just after World War II. , Thelos&iOj soil much .congressional, ' seniority Ms li.Hetyr tcr 'produce 'gatrts for the' apolitical reform movement. The retirements 'swept away a substantial bloc of anti-reform filibuster tactics. Other pieces of legislation-.'; '-votes and could propel certain reform issues over ine lop. - -For example, bnly seven votes in the House .of Representatives kept the much "ytOuled campaign reform of nationwide '. postcard voter ; registration from becoming r - law earner this yea.''. The vote was 204 to 197, often are bottled up in a committee if the chairman opposes them. ' ; This year the issue of congressional reform which once would have drawn only blank stares from voters became-aVmajbr issue in many races across the country. H,' v--For several reasons, the time seems right . ' '" -v :: -wfth 28 of those "no" votes cast by members who will not return to the new Congress Likewise, only nine votes prevented the Senate last year, from opening all committee meetings to theTpublic unless closed by a majority, cpm.rnitteeypteljs-.pi the "ng votes enough to reverse the outcome, if switched came"-from senators not returning. Reform momentum should be quickened by voter disenchantment over recent political scandals' from Watergate to "milk fund" campaign contributions and the growing influence of public-interest lobbies such as Common Cause and Ralph Nader's organization. The first test of the new congressional reformism will come when Democrats, still the ruling party, caucus in December to organize the Hote. Hopefully, they will prod a sluggish government by enacting long thwarted congressional reforms. ' r Jane Owens Campus male:eWbitionists and assailants 'destroy a woiini0frientaily and emotionally' Last Sunday night, a girl was -walking"' from Harper-Schramm-Smith Halls fo Neihardt Residential Center. When she got to Nebraska Half;,jtian came walking out of the parking lot., ' T'; - V- ' Witlwhat she described as a "sickenirfg .smile" he said, "Hey lady, look at me" and exposed himself. She was so scared that she was momentarilyr'unable, to do anything but stand there, while he talked on - . She began to run away, but he followed her. When she started waving at passing ears,-he. turned " and walked back towards the parking lot ,".'' . v . ... Two weeks ago, a woman was Attackedon eampas near Love Library by three boys, all about twelve years old. They tore at her clothes' -while fusing obscene.' language. ' V - ;. ,'. When she managed to break away. from fhem, she Immediately called the Campus Police.: They-iold her '- 'r ; ' ...... ; ' amy strua .brood: si they had received a similar report teri'mtriutss earlier. Wednesday night, a friend of mine- was waiting in Oldfather Hall for her husband, who was"takwig a' night class. While she walked around the. btiUding, she noticed a custodian following her. '.""-'' She was virtually alone when sfie'vefifirred away from her husband's classroom to use the' telephone. The , Custodian kept appearing around corners.'iso", she,. went back to the area around the classroom. H3 etobd at short distance down the hall staring at her. v v. , When she realized he was masturbating while he, watched her, she told him she would est! Jha CSmpus Police. He looked surprised, and walked away.V ' ; , The fact that I heard all three stories within a week or so was even more disturbing when I considered that I heard these only because the women involved were friends of mine. How many similar things have been happening on campus? ... Some people look at these events as unimportant and ; relatively minor because no one was physically hurt, or, in two of the three incidents, even had physical contact '-with the men. But the emotional effects on the three women were severe. The girl who had the experience with the custodian said, "I'll never take a nignt class. And I'ii . let my husband take the car from now on. I'll just stay .at home." Only men can inflict this kind of intimidation upon " ' women. We are powerless to do the same. How many men would be frightened of a woman walking out of a -parking lot with no shirt on? It would be, Instead, a big joke. ; . , - Some people have mentioned to me that they think' , the media has run the subject of rape into the ground " recently. . But rape is only one of the crimes which force womer to define their activities and lifestyles In terms of what ' , risks are involved. An exhibitionist may not be a v physically violent person, a man following a girl around" ' . " may not be a criminal, but both are capable of mentally ' ' and emotionally destroying a woman. I was pleased to hear how the three stories turned out! The three 12-year-olds were caught and went to . court the next day with their parents. -'. The girl who encountered the man in the parking lot reported it to the Campus Police the next day. And the ' third woman is going to make sure that custodian won't be around Oldfather Hail at nights to botheranyone else. ; t - - '"' ' - ' ' , That's important. That's action. .i.: dally nebraskan ,- Dear Editor, On Nov. 1, the Daily : Nebraskan reported that 26,. out of 34 legislature canaiaaies ravorea nigner tuition rates for nonresi dents This is a fine argument, because this school is supported by state taxes. - loday I read about the decreases in college en rollment, specifically at " UNL. Whv doesn't some one, sii down and figure out,what enrollment might be if rates were equalized? , Let's give Nebraskans priority, but let's fill the, school too. Universities are a competitive bus--iness. Wake up, Neb raska, and brush off some Of those havseeds. Mark Buckley friday, november8, 1974 page 4 s t if . " t -