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Monday, September 20, 1982
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 82 No. 20
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Chambers
By Pat Higgins
State Sen. Ernest Chambers wants to be the state
attorney general. He is running as an independent can
didate against long-time office holder Paul Douglas, who
has not been opposed in the last two elections.
"People tell me that Paul Douglas is such a nice guy,
that no one wants to run against him. What has happened
is that there has been mutual agreement among lawyers
not to oppose him. It reminds me of the rackets where
they mark off territories. It takes an outsider with no
fear, like me, to challenge their system," Chambers said.
Chambers is a graduate of Creighton Law School but
he has refused to take the bar exam. Douglas has said that
this makes Chambers unqualified for the attorney
general's office.
"I've already shown that 1 understand the law. I've
taken Paul Douglas on head-to-head four times and have
won," Chambers said.
Among these issues were the multibank holding bill
in the Legislature two years ago, he said.
Action unconstitutional
"The governor didn't want to sign the bill or to veto
it because he would alienate one group of bankers either
way. Paul Douglas told him that he could send the bill
back to the Legislature and it wouldn't be a veto or a
signature. I realized this was unconstitutional but I was
once again hooted down in the Legislature. However, the
bill went to the State Supreme Court and a miraculous
thing happened, the state attorney general's office and the
Supreme Court adopted my position," Chambers said.
Other issues that Chambers has challenged Douglas on
include a housing fraud case in Omaha, Chambers' bill
that limits tickets to $10 for speeding on the interstate
under 65 miles per hour, and a plan by Omaha utilities to
be compensated by the state because the North Omaha
freeway would force them to relocate.
"One overworked, underpaid, quote, unqualified, un
quote, state senator has been able to beat the entire
attorney general's office, which has two dozen layers
working there," Chambers said.
!f? mec-Mmtions
Chambers "said the attorney general's office has become
politicized under " Douglas; The office should be non
partisan and dedicated to justice, Chambers said.
Actual governor
"The initials 'AG' are supposed to stand for attorney
general but ever since Douglas has been having his clandes
tine meetings with Charles Thone to give him his marching
orders, I say AG' stands for 'actual governor.' Charles
Thone is only the titular governor," Chambers said
Douglas has long been considered one of the major
powers in the state Republican Party.
Chambers has challenged Douglas to a series of debates.
Douglas has so far refused. Chambers said these debates
would be as historic as the Abraham Lincoln-Stephen
Douglas debates in the 1850s.
"Not to be boastful, but I don't think that anyone in
the state is in my league as a speaker. However, the way
I've challenged Paul Douglas he should lose all self-respect
if he refuses to debate. I'll debate him at any time or
place. He can even plant trick questions if he wants to,"
Chambers said.
If elected, Chambers said he would emphasize
consumer protection. He said there have been abuses
in state agencies that need to be investigated.
"People think I'm an ombudsman, they come to me
from all over the state to blow the whistle on various
things. They think that I have more power than I do.
They think I can pull a rabbit out of my hat and I don't
even have a hat," Chambers said.
There is a difference between power and authority,
Chambers said. Authority comes from the position of the
office while power comes from personal ability. He said
state Sen. John DeCamp and state Chief Justice Norman
Krivosha are examples of authority with power.
"I know I could turn things around. Just give the
office. If people just look at my color and are reluctant to
believe that a black man can be intelligent and therefore
don't vote for me they'll be losing a good thing,"
Chambers said.
Chambers was an independent candidate for governor
Continued on Page 3
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Staff Photo by Dave Bentz
Challenger Ernie Chambers flexes his law credentials
in his bid to wrest the attorney general title from
incumbent Paul Douglas.
"Dense-pack missile scheme remains 'uncertain'
By Chris Welsch Leo Sartori spoke Thursday at the
Physics-Political Science Colloquium at
The dense-pack scheme for basing M-X Brace Physics Laboratory,
missiles relies on uncertainty for its success "Nobody really knows how well the
as a defense system, a UNL physics pro- dense-pack system would work, said
fessor said.
Sartori, an adviser to the Arms Control
s
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Photo by Dav Banti
Cornhuskers sack Aggies
New Mexico State quarterback Jamie McAIister (IS) tries to send a pass before
being tackled by Nebraska's Dave Ridder (86), while Rob Stuckey (75) looks on
68-0 Husker win in Memorial Stadium. It was a day for the record book as the
Cornhuskers broke four NCAA records en route to victory. For details, see pages
lOtndll.
and Disarmament Agency from 1978 to
1980.
Although the Soviets do not know if
the system would work, they are not
willing to gamble probably to find out,
Sartori said.
The dense-pack system uses 100 M-X
missiles that are located less than an
half-mile apart, he said. The missiles, in
super-hardened protective cannisters,
would rest in a triangular-shaped configur
ation. The dense-pack system is different from
other systems because its main advantage
in "fratricide" by having the missiles
close together.
Missiles protected
Fissioning neutrons, the shock wave
and air disturbance from the explosion of
incoming bombs would protect missiles
in the dense-pack, he said. Dust and debris
in the air would play the most important
role in impeding incoming missies by des
troying or throwing them off course for
the remaining missiles to lift off. As long
as half of the missiles can take off, the
system would be effective.
All hypothetical situations described
were based on calculations because of the
strict moratorium on atmospheric bomb
testing, he said.
However, estimates indicate that it
would take several hours to destroy the
dense-pack at a high risk rate, he said.
If the Soviets could develop a "soft
lander" system, where the missiles land
before exploding, they could overcome the
protective mechanisms of fratricide, he
said.
Cost escalated
The total estimated cost to taxpayers
for each year of survivability is S23 billion,
including maintenance costs, but the actual
cost could be two to three times greater,
he said.
The Soviets understandably would be
dismayed if the dense-pack system receives
the go-ahead, he said. At this point, the
dense-pack will probably be the basing
mode recommended to Congress by the
Reagan administration.
The arms-control implications of dense
pack are in violation of SALT II, Sartori
said.
SALT II prohibits any more fixed
ground-based missiles, but officials may
have discovered a loophole, he said.
The United States and Russia have been
"quietly observing the treaty," he said.
The treaty was signed but never ratified by
Congress.
A proposal to claim that the M-X
missiles in dense-pack actually are mobile
was suggested, he said, since the missiles
are in cannisters placed in holes in the
ground and could theoretically be moved.
There was talk of putting in one addi
tional hole, a total of making 101, so the
United States prove the missiles are mobile.
The missiles could be switched around by
using the extra hole, he said.
"You can imagine the reaction the U.S.
would have if the Soviets implemented
such a plan," he said.
Staff Photo by Dv Bant
Leo Sartori
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