Jaffe: Model UN brings cultural awareness
By Susie Reitz
"Understanding is the key to world peace," said
keynote speaker Sam Jaffe, at the opening
ceremonies of the Nebraska Model United Nations
(NMUN) Thursday.
Jaffe, former ABC News correspondent in Hong
Kong an 4 Moscow, spoke to members of 62
delegations at the morning general session in the
Nebraska Union Centennial room.
"Americans have too many stereotypes of people
in other countries. When they travel and meet people
they realize that for instance, all Chinese don't have
long fingernails," Jaffe said.
"The program of Model United Nations should
give participants an awareness of other cultures and
their customs as well as an idea of how the United
Nations works," said Jaffe.
"The main idea of the real UN is being carried out
in agencies, but people don't hear about that aspect
of the UN, he said. "The only UN news that editors
print is the sensational story of a special Security
Council meeting or a wild speech. They don't print
the every-day stories that tell about the real UN."
Disappointed with propaganda
The World Health Organization (WHO) has done
fine things in combatting diseases he said, and
UNICEF also has done outstanding work, he added.
Jaffe said he was very disappointed with the
propaganda several years ago which claimed UNICEF
was a "communist-oriented organization." These
claims promoted people to "slam doors in the faces
of children collecting for the agency," he said.
U Thant, former Secretary General of the UN and
a close friend of Jaffe's was "constantly frustrated
trying to work with two super powers, the United
States and the Soviet Union," he said.
"U Thant had communications with Ho Chi Minh
which could have ended the Vietnam war much
earlier," he said, "but he sent them to Washington
through the U.S. representative and they were never
answered."
Misrepresentations
Jaffe commented that news of the Vietnam war
was filled with misrepresentations of the situation,
just as the Korean war had been.
"The government would say that we were fighting
communist aggression, when actually it was the
United States that was aggressive. The United States,;
not North Vietnam, was dumping napalm, on, South
Vietnam," Jaffe said. Jaffe called the South
Vietnamese leaders U.S. made millionaires who were
not democratic rulers.
"But as long as nations can sit and discuss
problems in the UN, there is still hope. If a war can
be prevented by expressing frustrations in discussions
and avoiding military confrontations there is still
hope," he said.
Jaffe said he was pleased when China was accepted
in the UN and amazed to see how U.S. diplomats
tried to manipulate other countries to keep China
out.
"U.S. claims said that China would be disruptive if .
seated in the UN," he said, "but they have developed
their own policies and views and have represented
China diplomatically."
"I was glad to see China in. They'd been isolated
too long and that can be dangerous," he said.
Hope for mankind
Jaffe said many people working in the UN "really
believe it is one hope for mankind" and with more
understanding, chances of another war are lessened.
"No country can afford another war, the costs are
too great", he said. "With more appreciation for the
UN, a badly needed peace can be found."
Following the opening, the representatives split
into committees to work on resolutions, which will
be presented before the General Assembly today.
Special guests of the conference included
Christopher Battiscombe of the United Kingdom and
Hiro Shibuya of Japan, who are representatives from
the United Nation, and members of the United
Nations Association. These people will be working
with NMUN delegates to find "creative solutions to
problems facing the world, today," said NMUN
Secretary General, Dean Kirby.
doilu
- Former UNL student
braitelfl files for City Council
friday, february 7, 1975 lincoln, nebraska vol. 98 no. 73- 7g
II f; : ;
-- rrr-H -l-nrr-iinn-iinrt.l--.,. 1 Xm,. -
CD-:
Gerald Whelan, lieutenant governor.
Photo by Stv Boernar
Whelan: politics not his bag
By Steve Boerner
If Lt. Gov. Gerald Whelan were to write a
book some day, he might think about titling it,
"How to Succeed in Politics Without Really
Trying."
The only tiling he's ever wanted to be is a
lawyer, he said.
"Politice is not my bag," Whelan, 49, said.
"I'm a lawyer. I wanted to remain a lawyer all
my life." But he said he doesn't kid himself
about the job he has now.
"1 certainly am a politician," he said.
"Anybody in a public office is one."
Father in politics
His interest in politics and public affairs can
be traced to his father's interest. William Whelan
was administrative assistant to Rep. John A.
McCuire, who represented the First
Congressional District in the early 1900s.
Whclan's father returned to Nebraska to
practice law not long after McGuire's last term
ended in 1915. Gerald Whelan was born and
raised in Hastings the seventh of seven sons.
Whelan denies that his father's political work
had much influence on him.
"That was all 10 years before I was born," he
said.
But his father's legal work did influence him,
he said. Whelan attended the University of
Nebraska Law . College for two years and
graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree from
Creighton University in Omaha in 1952.
Four children
He and his wife Virginia have three adult
children and a fourth child in high school. They
recently built a new home outside Hastings.
Whelan served as Adams County Democratic
party chairman 20 years ago. Later he was a
member of the party's central and executive
committees.
In 1 960 he was nominated for Congress but
lost the primary election to Phil Weaver.
Politically speaking, that seemed to be it until
Gov. J. James Exon picked Whelan as his running
mate in the last general election.
The best thing about the campaign, he said,
was meeting people-going to fairs, shaking
hands. There were some intellectual challenges,
too.
"Responding to good reporters can be
stimulating," he said, adding that it also could be
boring when reporters repeatedly ask the Siiiic
questions. '
Double duty
As lieutenant governor, Whelan has sliced his
duties into halves. He described it as an
"a.m.-p.m. job."
In the mornings he is presiding officer of the
Legislature. When it adjourns, he becomes part of
the administration.
"It's an arrangement that has worked out very
well," he said. He's established a reputation of
strictly adhering to the rules in the Legislature,
he said, no matter who it hurts or helps.
"That thing (the Legislature) should run so
well," Whelan added, "that they don't even
notice I'm in there."
Speaks his mind
When he is called upon for his opinion,
Whelan says it is his own and not Exon's.
"I give my own personal views," he said. "I
don't care what he thinks."
Outside interests include golf-Whelan is on
the State Golf Board -and a "quiet" interest in
art.
Does he see any future for himself in politics?
"That's four years down the line, and I'm not
going to make any announcement," he said. But
considering where he is now, he said, running for
another office would be "a very reasonable
assumption" to make.
By Lori Demo
The first person to announce his candidacy for the Lincoln City
Council says he favors merger of city and country governments,
improved mass transit and preservation of the Lincoln downtown
area as the center of the city.
Stephen Richard Tiwald said he thinks the City Council is
"entering" a period of important decisions which will determine the
shape of Lincoln for decades to come." -
Tiwald, 25, announced his candidacy for one of the four-year
council seats up for election this spring. The council members
whose terms are expiring are Helen Boosalis, Steve Cook, Fred
Sikyta and Richard Baker.
A UNL graduate and former ASUN president (1970-71),
Tiwald is a health planner with the Bureau of Comprehensive
Health Planning, Nebraska Department of Health.
Growth questions
He said the question facing Lincoln is how the city is going to
handle its growth.
"Is the growth going to be in a helter-skelter way," he said, "or
will the community insist on a well-planned, orderly development?
"I don't think the city ought to allow special interests to
determine how and where development will take place," he said.
"Its decision ought to be made with the good of the whole
community in mind."
For this reason, he said, he is not a candidate who supports any
special interests.
"I won't have the money of a few large contributors financing
my campaign," he said. "Instead it will be a campaign made up of a
lot of average citizens giving their time and small contributions."
Downtown hub
Tiwald said the Lincoln downtown area should be the hub of
the city and the center for the business, commercial, cultural,
governmental and educational activities in which Lincolnites
participate.
No regional shopping centers should be constructed in Lincoln
unless one would make an area "much more attractive," or until
the population "grows to such an extent that one would be
justified."
Continued on p. 6
" ' --'" Y"WMt "--)- yr .y i, . , fvin
it
a rt.ru r'-
v , -- 5
!::.:.!::::. -"! I T.
' ' 1 ' " i X
t f f
rr..,' ( ( ;)
tti mmu m. i I'm Tifoi i i-MiitMLi6. - ' ' wmirtt r f f i iKHwh tW pr : k wirtffirtTiiiT-a '(ttifljfh W Jury &'M' apMii&rJ'twwWwHfrhiwaiiMiWtfe
Photo by Kvin Hi8y
Steve Tiwald, candidate for Lincoln City Council.