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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 1978)
monday, november 13( 1973 page 4 daily nebraskan opinioneditorial Big Red fever sets fans, trees, street signs on fire The times are a changin'. In the 1910s, the Daily Nebraskan printed cheers for rooting students to yell at the Cornhusker games. In 1948, the paper reported that tear gas, the Lincoln riot squad, and the city fire department were not enough to disperse a milling crowd of students rioting in protest against no parking regulations on 1 2th and R streets. In the '50s, it was reported that a howling mob of men swept through campus and broke into sororities and women's residence halls. Probably to conduct a panty raid . In the late '60s, things got hot. Students protested the Vietnam war. In the early '70s, it got hotter, stu dents took over the Military and Naval Science building. In 1978, things were on fire. Stu dents built a bonfire in the middle of 16th and S streets. The fire, a symbolic wish to blaze Oklahoma, was fueled with a piano, green tree limbs, beds, mattresses, and street signs to mention a few items. The crowd seemed to circle around the fire cheering on the fuel bearers. The police may have gotten a bit rough with the crowd the night of the first fire. Some students were arrested, some were alleged to have to gotten a night stick in the head, one was reported to have gotten six stitches in the head because of a police beating. But the police should have stayed out of it and let the students burn their belongings. The second night of the fire, the students knew no fear. After all, how could the police department go on abusing Big Red fever or students just out for some kicks? With Big Red fever running high, the police should have known it was impossible to stop the fans from tearing down the goalposts. After all, who can blame a fan for wanting to take home a piece of the goalpost? The game's nature is violent. So it's understandable when an entire town goes crazy and some of its members go on a wanton path of destruction to celebrate the Huskers' victory. Well, maybe it wasn't wanton. Just a few people were sacrificed. A woman at the game broke her arm because of the crowd's furvor. Another injured his ankle and one poor student was alleged to have his head beaten in by police on the night of the fire. Yet, the sacrifices seem small. When sports can induce people to pour money into supporting the athletic department when UNL salar ies are reported to be in the bottom 20 percent of the nation perhaps per sonal injuries should be expected. Anyway, individuals should not consider the Daily Nebraskan to be anti-Big Red just because a few sacrifices had to be made. So we whole heartedly say: GO BIG RED. Oil combines expect to drill for gusher in tax breaks WASHINGTON-The oil combines some times seem more eager to drill tax loop holes than wells. This is quite understand able since the loopholes often bring greater returns than the gushers. Tax breaks, like oil wells, are often lo cated in unexpected places. A little-noticed tax treaty with Britain, for example, may soon contain a multimillion-dollar loophole -if the oil lobby has its way. Under the treaty, Britain would pay at least $350 million in tax rebates to U.S. multinational corporations, plus a guaran teed $85 million a year hereafter. This might appear on the books as Brit ish benevolence. But the American tax payers would pay for it indirectly. In re turn for the tax rebates to American firms, British companies would get a tax break in this country. Among the biggest beneficiaries of the complicated arrangement would be the in ternational oil companies, who would es cape certain domestic taxes. They have pulled out all the stops, therefore, to push the proposition. Exalted level The oil firms operate on a more exalted level than most other special interests. Arm and Hammer, the grand old man of jack anderson Occidental Petroleum, for example, wrote a private letter directly to Treasury Secre tary Michael Blumenthal. The letter was intended for Blumen thal's eyes only, but we have obtained a copy. Hammer addressed the letter to "Dear Mike." The oil tycoons, it seems, are always on a first-name basis with political leaders. "I enjoyed our chance meeting at Tip's office," he began, amiably. Tip, of course, would be House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill. The oil magnate brought up the British tax treaty. He explained that he had al ready given President Carter his views on the treaty "during our lunch." He went on to drop two other big names before he finished the letter. He mentioned that Sens. Russell Long, D-La., and Alan Cran ston, D-Calif., shared his favorable opinion of the treaty provision. Friendly letter It was a simple, friendly letter. But it may be worth millions to Occidental Pe troleum. It has been this kind of quiet, chummy lobbying that has permitted the oil men to escape paying uncounted billions-thanks to tax loopholes. Pentagon Pipeline: Some of our fighting men are in a mutinous mood of over their headgear. The Special Forces wear green f I J f n m fM lib etters It has been called to our attention that the Daily Nebraskan is again running ads on addressing envelopes. These are called Home Work Schemes, and Better Business Bureaus over the country have yet to find one where one can make any money. Work-at-home schemes all have one thing in common -they require you to pay some money before you start work. The Bureau urges caution in answering any ad that offers you great profits for some at home work that requires no experience on your part and is in great demand. Schemes to earn money at home in spare hours are often fradulent and, at best, seldom result in any real earnings. If you would like to receive sound ad vice on starting a home business, write to: Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. Ask for Bibliography No. I Handi crafts and Home Business. Lois Tefft Manager, Cornhusker Better Business Bureau, Inc. Editor's note: The Daily Nebraskan has dis continued publishing ads requiring that money be sent and regrets any inconven- ience suffered by anyone replying to them. Some women overlooked Your reporters are to be commended for their interest and subsequent coverage relative to the numbers of minorities and women in administrative and related roles here. It is understandable that only some names in your Nov. 10 issue could be men tioned since I was interviewed by two in dividuals. However, the impression is that other than the two females listed, there are no other women in authoritative positions at UNL. For the record and so that these fine people who contribute much to UNL aren't omitted as being important contribu tors to UNL, the list includes these names I mentioned as well: Joan Wadlow, associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences and director of Uni versity Studies; Jayne W. Anderson, coor dinator of sororities, fraternities and co aperatives; Hazel Crain, director of Center of Business and Vocational Teacher Educa tion; Sara Boatman, associate director, Nebraska Union and director of campus ac tivities and programs; Viann M. Schroeder, director of Publications Services and Control; Ruth Michalecki, director, Tele communications Center; Wilma Crumley, vice director, School of Journalism; Susan Welch, chairperson, political science department; Hazel M. Fox, chairperson, food and nutrition department; H. Lorraine Brandt, assistant dean, College of Home Economics; Gwendolyn Newkirk, chairperson, eduation and family resources department; Audrey Newton, chairperson, textiles, clothing and design department June B. Davis, assistant athletic director for women's sports programs; Agnes L. Arthaud, associate director, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Helen Ruth Wagner, athletic ticket manager; Irene Jounson, counselor, Division of Contin uing Studies. This list is not complete, but does give a representative sampling of the numbers of women in important positions here at the university. To overlook them is not very affirmative! Bradley Munn Affirmative Action Officer berets, soldiers in the elite tank brigades often wear black berets; and the parachut ing infantrymen of the 82nd Airborne Di vision wear purple berets. Now, at Foot Hood, Texas, the soldiers have taken to wearing cowboy hats. This is too much for Gen. Bernard Rogers, the Army chief. He has issued an order banning all of the distinctive headgear, except for the Special Forces' green berets. The order has raised a howl from the troops who regard their fancy hats as a source of pride. The general has agreed to listen to their complaints. But our fashion consultants at the Pentagon believe the colorful hat styles are out. There is absolutely no hope, they say, for the Stetsons. The general would like to banish all cowboy hats to dude ranches. Army waste The military brass, meanwhile, go on wasting the taxpayers money. The Army, for example, paid $400 million for a new fleet of tanks with possibly faulty engines. The lightweight gas turbine engines, ex perts say, might break down under battle field conditions. During tests, dirt and sand kept filtering through the engine seals and grinding the engines to a halt. The Army generals were warned about the defect, but they claimed the tanks were desperately needed. So they went ahead with a $400 million order for machines than can be stopped with a little dirt and sand. Both the United States and the Soviet Union have agreed that in case of war, nerve gas should be banned. The weapon is considered too diabolical for one countrv to use against another. But Pentagon plan ners don't trust the Russians. They have ordered the distribution of nearly 2 million units of nerve gas antidotes to American servicemen -just in case the Russians do not live up to their part of the bargain. Am in program Operation Intercept: Ugandan dictator Idi Amin has launched a sinister psycholog ical warfare program against his own people and those Ugandans vho choose to seek refuge in the United States. Amin's thugs have been stationed at post offices across the country and instruc ted to intercept and open mail addressed to or from the United States. Money or valu ables found in the mail are often pocketed by the dictator's men and the letters of Ugandan citizens are carefully screened. Ugandan citizens who write to rela tives and friends in the United States some times mysteriously disappear. Under the dome: One of the last acts of the 95th Congress was a $20 billion tax cut, but it cost the taxpayers a bundle just to report the vote. The final session lasted 34 hours and the rhetoric filled six volumes of the Congressional Record. The cost of printing 40,000 copies of the six volume edition came to $500,000 -Sixty employees of the House dining room were all fired for the duration of the congressional recess. They were told they would be rehired when Congress reconvenes. In the meantime, they are out of a job.