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tuesday, april 8, 1980
lincoln, nebraska vol. 104, no. 57
UUW U LOOU Ji JUJi-J U
Puerto Rico as state favored by most speaker
By Rose Fitzpatrick
Most Puerto Ricans are seeking statehood as an alter
native to the "candy -coated colonialism of common
wealth status said Puerto Rico's lieutenant governor,
average of people in higher education. Before World War
II illiteracy was rampant. Agriculture is no longer in the
hands of absentee landlords, but has transferred to private
farmers.
Vazquez said Puerto Rico has a per capita income
smaller than all the states but is high when compared to
most countries south of the Rio Grande River.
Vazquez is a graduate of the VS. Naval Academy, with
post graduate studies at the University of Puerto Rico and
George Washington University.
He is an attorney specializing in taxation and corporate
practice and has worked for Esso Standard Oil Co. and
Commonwealth Oil Refining Co.
Vazquez said he has two children and a son-in-law
attending UNL.
Football ticket sales
for fall begin today
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Photo by Tom Gcssner
Pedro R. Vazquez spoke on statehood for Puerto
Rico as part of the Latin American Spring Festival
Monday night.
Pedro R. Vazquez in a speech at UNL Monday night at
the Latin American Spring Festival.
Using the voting trends for Puerto Ricans political
parties as a gauge, Vazquez said that in 1 976, 45 3 were
for Commonwealth status 483 were for statehood and
6.4 percent were for independence. In 1948,71.7 percent
of the Puerto Rican population favored commonwealth
status, 162 percent favored statehood and 12.1 percent
supported pro-independence.
Vazquez said there are legal parties in Puerto Rico
supporting each of the points of view.
Through statehood, Puerto Ricans would get equal
rights as a birthright not as a handout, Vazquez said.
New rights
With statehood would come the right to have two U.S.
senators and seven congressmen from the district. Also
Puerto Ricans would pay federal taxes.
Vazquez said the U.S. needs a state that speaks Spanish
to bridge the hemispheres. In return, statehood would
better enable Puerto Ricans to contribute to foreign
policy.
Vazquez said a proposed ambassador to Colombia was
rejected by Colombia because he was Puerto Rican.
Explaining why some Puerto Ricans don't want state
hood, Vazquez said that there are two kinds of national
ism, cultural and political.
Calling members of the radical group FALN terrorists,
Vazquez said the difference between the terrorists and
those wanting independence is that all terrorists are pro
independence but not all pro-independence people are
terrorists.
He didn't explain the position of FALN, a group
supposedly taking credit for bombings in Chicago, New
York City and for attacks on Chicago's Carter-Mondale
Headquarters.
New growth
In the past 40 years, Puerto Rico has undergone
staggering development, Vazquez said. The life expect
ancy has increased and, it has more than the national
The spring lottery for football tickets begins today and
will run through April 1 1 .
Full -time students must pay $35 individually by check,
money order or cash and must present a valid student ID
at the time of purchase. One student may represent a
group as long as individual checks and IDs accompany
each ticket order.
Married students must present a marriage license to be
issued two tickets. Students who are not now married, but
will be married by football season can apply for two
tickets now, but must present a marriage license when the
tickets are picked up in the fall. -
Orders will be taken at the Athletic Ticket Office from
9 ajn. to noon and 1 to 4 p jn. '
Coalition for 21 chairman
is encouraged by response
By Gordon Johnson
It is still too early to tell how successful
the Coalition for 21 will be in placing the
drinking age issue on the November ballot,
according to the organization's chairman,
Rev. James Hamilton.
Hamilton said that more than 7,500
petitions have been circulated throughout
the state and he wants an indication of
their progress by April 15.
"To give you a figure at this time would
be senseless, unless I had something to brag
on "Hamilton said.
The organization needs 49,242 signa
tures, or 5 percent of the registered voters
in each county, before the issue can be
placed on the ballot.
Strong petition request
Hamilton said the response -as indicated
by the request for blank petitions-has
been strong, and feels confident that the
campaign will be successful.
"If we can get the required number of
signatures on the petitions I am just as
confident we will win it at the polls,
Hamilton said.
However, the group was able to get only
200 signatures on petitions Thursday when
Coalition for 21 set up two tables in
Make today count: Local chapter of nation
al group explores death and
dying Page 6.
Shake and Bake music: Reggae band's lead
er says he likes to keep it loose. . Page 8.
Looking stronger every day: As spring
practice begins, Coach Tom Osborne is
optimistic about the Huskers chances
next fall Page 10.
Lincoln's Gateway Shopping Center.
Hamilton said that while he is not dis
appointed in the number of signatures they
obtained Thursday, the number may have
been larger under other circumstances.
Resembles document
Because the petition resembles a legal
document, he said, it was hard to get
shoppers to slow down and take the time
to read it.
"Because of regulations, each shopper
could not be tagged. They had to come to
the table," he said.
Under other circumstances they might
have been able to actively solicit signatures
instead of passively sitting and waiting for
the people to come to them, tie aucieu.
Another factor that hindered the group
Thursday was the number of . people who
were not registered to vote, he said.
Poll shows interest
Hamilton siad he is optimistic about the
success of the drive because of a poll taken
in March of 1979 for Nebraska Council on
Alcohol Education, showed that 64 per
cent of the polled Nebraskans favor a high
er drinking age.
But in order for the campaign to be a
successful, Coalition for 21 will have to get
some financial support.
Rev. Rowland Benedict, the organi
zation's state coordinator, said the group
has set a tentative budget of $60,000, but
less than $2,000 has been donated.
If the organization does not get more
money in the next four to six weeks, the
coalition could be in trouble.
Benedict said the coalition began be
cause the Legislature did not raise the
drinking age to 21. He said the issus is not
one of politics.
AVe are not being political. We feel that
they 0egislators) nave monkeyed around
long enough and it is time to put the
question into the hands of the people, he
said.
"UitiynebraiKan taoto"
State Chairman Milan Bish of the Reagan for President Committee kicked off the
"Nebraska Reagan campaign Monday, as Gov. Charles Thone and Earl Luff, the first
district chairman , looked on .
Campaign 'not complacent
says Reagan backers' chief
By Bill Graf
With the snip of a red, white and blue
ribbon, Gov. Charles Thone officially
opened the Lincoln headquarters for the
Reagan for President Committee Monday
morning.
"This is the first visible effort in
Nebraska for Reagan, but it's not the last.
We're going to carry on an active campaign
to elect Ronald Reagan the next president
of the United States,' said Earl Luff,
First District chairman of the committee
to elect Reagan.
The headquarters at 1400 O St. will
be used throughout the primary campaign.
But the Reagan for President Committee
will close the office after the May 13th
Nebraska primary and reopen 'another
office to get ready for the November
presidential election if Reagan wins the
Republican nomination, first district head
quarters manager Barb Straub said.
Not complacent
Milan Bish, the Nebraska chairman of
the committee said the Reagan campaign
will "not be complacent even though the
Reagan nomination seems to be wrapped
up.
"I think Pennsylvania will be the one
to watch, Bish said.
Continued on Page 6
