inside todm
daily inisbsa
Era
friday, january 16, 1976 vol. 99 no. 64
Metric System: How many quarts it
takes to make a liter ... p.6
Polish Diplomats: Stop in Lincoln
during their 20-day tour of
the United States . . . p.2
NETV logo: Discussion over the
controversial "N" continue in
Washington D.C. this week p.6
IHf BHD PD"30S
By Joe Hudson
Former Democratic Sen. Sam Ervin of North Carolina
Tuesday night charmed a standing-room only Nebraska
Union Centennial Ballroom crowd with anecdotes uttered
in a southern drawl, then preached a serious message of in
dividual freedom.
The former chairman of the Senate Select Committee
on Presidential Campaign Practices also fielded questions
on a variety of topics before and after the 7 pjri. speech.
Praising Thomas Jefferson and the framers of the
constitution, Ervin outlined five freedoms he said were
designed to guarantee the pursuit of happiness.
He listed economic, personal, political, intellectual and
spiritual freedom as guarantees for man's pursuit of hap
piness. Defending his stand against the Equal Rights Amend
ment (ERA), Ervin called it "totally unnecessary" because
of already existing laws and court decisions. Instead of
making new laws, the existing ones should be enforced, he
said.
He said ERA. would destroy a women's right to be sup
ported by her husband while she is raising a family, if she
chooses to do so.
Ervin also blasted Senate Bil 1 , a massive criminal code
revision bill being considered by Congress, saying it would
protect Watergate-type Offenders.
"If we make ignorance of the law a defense, you don't
want to make it a shelter for those who are supposed to
know the most about the law," Ervin said.
During Watergate hearings, he said, presidential counsel
John Dean offered the most truthful information, but
aid Alexander Butterfield's testimony about the Nixon
tapes was the "most devastating information."
. Pres. Gerald Ford's pardon of Nixon was "a grave mis
take," Ervin said. He called presidential pardoning power
"greater than that of the Almighty. The Almighty cannot
forgive sins unless we first admit that weVe committed
them."
' r
7 '.
(I
.,
Photo by Ted Kirk
Former United States Sen. Sam Ervin (D.-N.C.) addressed an overflow crowd in the Nebraska Union Centennial
Ballroom Thursday night
Ervin also offered his opinion on these other topics:
Gag rule - Ervin said all court proceedings should re
main open, and that jurors are intelligent enough to base
their decisions on court proceedings alone, despite what
they have read in newspapers.---.-.,
New York City - Ervin said these "wreckless people"
should be allowed to "stew in their own juice for a little
while."
Detente - United States' detente is a "one way street"
in the Soviet Union's favor, he said. The United States is
"running up a white flag" to the Soviets, who are natur
ally "very agreeable" to the situation.
First round approval given September primaries
By Dick Piersol
The Nebraska Legislature gave first stage approval
Thursday to a bill which would move state primary
elections from May to September beginning in 1980. The
vote to advance Ralston Sen. Gerald Koch's LB 120, held
over on general file from the last session, was 25-22.
Before advancing the bill, the senators amended it to
remove a provision allowing registered independent voters
to use either major party ballot presidential and state
primary elections.
The bill does not allow voters registered as Democrats
or Republicans to select the other party's ballot and
retains the May presidential primary election.
Sens. Wally Bamett of Lincoln and Robert Clark of,
MM cpts fourft
resident tuStSoei
By Ron Ruggless
UNL's budget, including state and tuition support,
is $5.6 million below the average of the top three Big
8 Conference schools, according to a report submitted
Thursday to the Governor's Commission on University
Funding.
It was the final meeting of the 15-membcr commis
sion, set up to tell the governor the university's stand
ing among Big 8 school budgets.
NU President D.B. Varner said $5.6 million "is the
most reasonable" figure because it includes both non
resident and resident tuition.
NU's $663 average full-time resident tuition and
student fee rate is the highest among Big 8 universities,
Varner said, and UNL students pick up 25 per cent of
their education bill.
State support to UNL, he said, is about $6.5 million
below the average of the top three Big 8 schools.
Money for competition
"It is important that the university be able to com
pete with comparable institutions," Varner said, which
requires money to hire and keep good teachers and
programs.
Varner also said NU's two-semester $123 student
fee is the second highest in the Big 8 system, following
Kansas's $166 for two semesters.
Commission Chairman Gustave Lieske calculated a
10.7 per cent tuition increase if Nebraska's budget
were to compete with the top three Big 8 schools.
Varner said, "I think the students would not be
negative to aiding in the process of closing the gap (be
tween NU and the top Big 8 schools)," but added he
docs not think the student should pay more than 25
h in y b
3nd G hicp
HflfrSlfKIOvCl?
wyui 5aj id ttmfg
per cent of his higher eeucation costs.
"The 25 to 75 per cent state financing level is rea
sonably realistic," he said, as NU is a land-grant uni
versity which should provide higher education to as
many people as possible.
jDiiurU ttiiuuiu ue fiiauc to ciuac uid uuugci uaguc-
tween NU and other universities within one or two
years, Varner said.
WUlard Waldo, chariman of the commission's sub
committee investigating the UNL Agriculture College's
standing among Big 8 universities, said NU needs an
additional $5 million to $7 million to catch up with
the top three Big 8 schools.
Bottom of Big 8
"The budget being proposed would still put it
(Agriculture College) at the bottom of the Big 8,"
Waldo said.
Nebraska has the potential to be a leader in the agri
culture ares, he said, but financing is lacking.
The commission's report on the standing of the Uni
versity of Nebraska Medical Center among Big 8 uni
versities was not accepted because an addition will be
added over the weekend, Lieske said.
Additional comments will be made by commis
sion members, Lieske siad, and the final report should
be submitted to Gov. J. James Exon by Thursday.
Lieske said he thinks Exon should appoint 20 to 25
prominent citizens to a coordinating commission to
evaluate NU programs.
NU needs $4 million in additional nonresident
tuition and state support to bring it to a competitive
level in the Big 8, Lieske said. .
Sidney argued that allowing independent voters to vote on
partisan primary ballots would destroy the two-party
system. Blair Sen. Walter George said both the Young
Republicans and Young Democrats oppose it.
Utica Sen. Douglas Bereuter said allowing independents
to vote on either ballot would strengthen the two-party
system by forcing the parties to offer strong slates of
candidates to attract what he termed the large numbers of
young, independent voters. He said political parties are
the only institutions with worse reputations than
politicians.
Big Springs Sen. Jack Mills said there were senators
who would oppose independent primary voting because
they may run for a major partisan office in the future.
Omaha Sen. Ernest Chambers said the two-party
system was not a provision of the constitution and not
allowing independents, like himself, to vote on partisan
primary ballots disenfranchised them.
"There's not a dime's worth of difference between
the demagogues and rcpelicans," Chambers said.
Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh said political parties are
membership organizations and there is no reason to allow
moving the state primary election to September, saying
a two-month campaign between primary and general
elections would give an advantage to more familiar and
well-heeled candidates.
Koch argued that May through November campaigns
are too long and expensive and contributed to "lame
duck" action for more than half-a-year by incumbents
beaten in the May primary election.
The vote on Bellevue Sen. Frank Lewis' amendment to
LB 120, removing the provision allowing registered
independent voters to vote on partisan primary ballots,
is as follows:
For: Anderson. Bamett, Bereuter, Carsten, Cavanaugh, Clark,
Dickinson, Dull, Dworak, Fitzgerald, George, Goodrich, Johnson.
Kelly, Kennedy, 4jedtke, Mahoney, Marsh, Marvel, Murphy,
Nlchol, Simpson, Sksrd, Stull, Swigart, Syas, Warnw, Wlltse.
Against; Burrows, Chambers, Hasebroock, Koch, Maresh,
Mills, Stoney.
Not voting: Burbach, Cope, DeCamp, Fowler, Keyes, Klma,
Kermer, Lewis, F Lewis, Ft., Moylan, Rasmussen, Rumery,
Savage, Schmit.
The vote to advance LB 120 on Its way to select file Is as
follows.
For: Anderson, Bamett, Bereuter, Carsten, Chambers, Clark,
Dworak, Fitzgerald, George, Goodrich, Keily, Koch, H. Lewis, F
Lewis, R. Mahoney, Marvel, Mills, Rasmussen, Savage, Schmit,
Skarda, Stoney, Swigart, Syas, Warner.
A&fttoet; Burbach, Burrows, Cavanaugh, Cope, DeCamp,
Dickinson, Duis, Fowler, Hasebroock, Johnson, Kennedy, Keyes,
Maresh, Marsh, Moylan, Nichol, Rumery, Simpson, Stull, Wiltse.
Not votings Kime, Murphy.
