friday, january 19, 1979
lincoln, nebraska vol. 102 no. 64
'Universal service9 to be re-introduced
By Cindy Coglianese
Within the month, a Nebraska Congress
man will re-introduce legislation to provide
a system of "universal service."
Rep. John Cavanaugh emphasized
Thursday that his legislation would not
provide for a compulsory draft but "would
provide for an individual to have the op
portunity to elect between the military and
civil services.
"Every member of society has a
personal obligation to meeting the needs
and requirements of all society,"
Cavanaugh said .
The requirements for the Cavanaugh
universal system proposal will include a
general registration of all males and females
before their 18th birthday. An individual
would indicate a six -month period between
the ages of 18 and 26 that they would be
eligible for selection by the U.S. govern
ment. Alternatives
The proposal "would give individuals
the freedom to choose at what point in
their life they want to subject themselves,"
Cavanaugh said.
He said alternatives to the six-month
period would be volunteer service either
in the armed forces, forestry or other
governmental agencies.
"An individual could choose from
health services, veteran services, any form
of clerical duty or law enforcement. The
universal system offers opportunities as
broad and as all-encompassing as the
government itself."
Under the proposal, those chosen for
duty during their six-month conscription
period would be inducted for two years of
service. If their six-month period lapsed
without notification by the government,
there is no compulsory obligation for that
individual.
Low on government personnel
The government would choose from
that six -month pool for deficiencies and in
adequate supplies of governmental
personnel.
Cavanaugh said only those with severe
mental and physical handicaps would be
exempt from service.
Cavanaugh said that the makeup of the
military services under the volunteer
system has become "increasingly
narrower." He said the armed services are
primarily made up of lower-income indi
viduals and minority groups who have "the
least favorable opportunities" in private
enterprises.
"It is a controversial subject," Cava
naugh said. Though no legislation will be
introduced until later this month, Cava
naugh has sent a letter to President Carter
stating the intentions of his proposal.
Cavanaugh said Carter has not had time to
respond to the proposal.
Cavanaugh said the proposal, once it
gets past first impressions, will probably be
favorably viewed by the American public
and Congress.
"It certainly entails some political dan
ger," Cavanaugh said, "but it is something
that Americans have to confront."
Daily Nebraskan photo
Representative John Cavanaugh.
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Photo by Ted Kirk
With their lights flaring, the American Agriculture Movement moved through Lincoln on schedule at 5 p.m.
Thursday only to be greeted by freezing rain and slippery streets. The tractorcade is enroute to Washington
D.C. to protest low farm prices and a lack of concern by President Carter for the farmer.
Police task force
requests more room
By Val Swinton
UNL police, citing overcrowded conditions, are inter
ested in a new location on campus, but additional space is
in short supply.
A task force of three officers recently completed a
report, which Director olJNL Police Gale Gade forward
ed to business manager, Ray Coffey.
"While the purpose of this letter is not to submit a
formal request for a specific area, it is a plea for assist
ance," the report reads. "The relocation of the University
Police Department to a larger facility would not only re
lieve the immediate problem, but would also allow for
future expansion and greatly improve the image and
morale of the department."
According to figures provided in the report, the
General Services Administration of the federal govern
ment recommends that approximatly 150 sq. ft. be
allocated for each police investigator. The report states
UNL police have four investigators sharing 110 sq. ft.
The report also lists a total working space of 1 ,207 sq.
ft. for the entire department. The task force emphasizes
they are not requesting a new building, but only the
chance to move into an existing structure if the space
should become available.
"That (a new building) was so far out of the question it
wasn't even brought out," said investigator Robert Fey,
task force member.
Continued on page 6
NORML to lobby for therapeutic marijuna use in state
By Randy Essex
Lobbyists representing the National Or
ganization for the Refonn of Marijuana
Laws began their effort Thursday to get a
bill through the Legislature allowing thera
peutic use of marijuana in the state.
Don Fiedler, NORML's state director,
and William Craven, the Midwest Regional
Coordinator for NORML, said they want
the state to allow doctors who want to pre
scribe the drug to patients who would like
to use it-and who could benefit medically
from its use.
Craven said four states, New Mexico,
Illinois, Florida and Louisiana considered
the idea and all passed it. None of those
states has a statute that removes criminal
penalties for possession of small amounts
of marijuana, and Nebraska does, Craven
said.
The bill allows doctors to prescribe
marijuana to patients suffering from glau
coma or those undergoing chemotherapy
for cancer.
Craven said medical evidence shows a
direct relationship between inner eye pres
sure and marijuana use in glaucoma suffer
ers. Pressure is reduced greatly after use of
the drug, he said.
Cancer patients
Patients subjected to chemotherapy for
cancer suffer nausea, vomiting and loss of
appetite after their radiation treatments.
Craven said a study of 20 chemotherapy
patients showed that 14 of the group were
comfortable and able to eat after being
administered THC (tetrahyrocannibannol,
the active ingredient in marijuana).
. "It's a travesty that these people aren't
allowed to use marijuana to relieve their
symptoms when evidence exists showing
that they can be allowed that dignity,"
Craven said .
Craven pointed out that not every
patient will be interested in the use of
marijuana, and not every doctor will be
willing to prescribe it.
'The doctor-patient relationship is at
the heart of our proposal," Craven said.
Although Wednesday was the last day
for introduction of bills, Fiedler was opti
mistic about chances of getting the propos
al to the floor. He said the measure could
be discussed either through amendment
or through special permission to introduce
the bill.
"Simply because of its humanitarian na
ture, we expect it to reach the floor,"
Fiedler said.
Doctors testify
He said he has contacted two doctors to
testify concerning the benefits of the
drug's use in treating glaucoma and as a
supplement to chemotherapy.
Craven said the measure will not meet
with opposition from the medical
profession. He said the bill passed with
relative ease in Illinois, which he called a
conservative state.
Craven said if the bill is passed mari
juana could be supplied either by the
federal government or from supplies of
marijuana confiscated by law enforcement
officials in the state. He said the federal
government supplies marijuana to New
Mexico for glaucoma patients, but not for
chemotherapy patients.
"This is a compassionate intermediate
step," Craven said.
The NORML representatives also dis
cussed Nebraska's new marijuana law,
which removes the criminal penalty and
record for persons convicted of possession
of less than one ounce.
Dramatic improvement
Craven said the law is a dramatic
improvement from the old law, and is a
step in the direction that NORML con
siders ultimate marijuana policy.
However, Fiedler said he would like to
see judges given more discretion in setting
fines for offenses.
The new law sets a flat $100 fine for
those convicted of possession of less than
an ounce. The fine for simple possession
of between one ounce and one pound is
"up to $300," meaning a person convic
ted of possession of two ounces could be
fined less than the person with one ounce.
Fiedler said the fine for less than an
ounce should be changed to "up to $100,"
giving the judge more latitude.
"The new law is a victim of compro
mise," Fiedler said.
Smoke, choke, croak: A new report has
even harsher warnings against smoking
than before page 7
Get out your tux: A never-before-seen
musical is set to premiere at Kimball
Hall in February page 8
Hard row to hoe: NU's Crew Team is
plagued by lack of coaches . . . page 10