Wednesday, December 12, 1834
Pegs 4
Daily Nebraskan
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To edhacate, Bersnade. lest? bwfc not to kowtow , come
n
ow that the furor has passed, maybe
we can discuss this rationally.
An editorial, according to Web-
sters New World Dictionary, is "an article
in a newspaper, etc., explicitly stating
opinions of the editor or publisher."
The Daily Nebraskan's editorial policy
is clearly outlined on page five of this
issue. It's comparable to that of most
newspapers, college and professional
The furor referred to above arose, per
haps, because of a lack of knowledge
about just what the function of an editor
ial page is. The stated function, as we see
it, is twofold: to express the opinion of the
Daily Nebraskan and to provide a forum
for other opinions, including, if not espe
cially, readers'. The editorial page's under
lying purpose is to spark discussion
among readers on important issues. Edi
torial writers and columnists strive to
persuade readers and, on occasion,
entertain them.
One who is aware of the nature and
purose of an editorial page will not, can
not, honestly cry foul when such a page
expounds opinions opposite their own,
or even opposite the majority of the
newspaper's community in this case,"
the UNL campus.
One who understands the nature of an
editorial page will know that he or she
has a right to express his or her own
opinion with a letter to the editor or a
guest opinion. These are published
according to their quality, adherence to
the newspaper's letter policy and the
amount of space available.
The Daily Nebraskan editorial page has
a decidedly liberal bent, because its crea
tors have a decidedly liberal bent. The
page offers divergent opinions from syn
dicated and house columnists and read
ers, though these are less than concur
rent opinions. This is consistent with our
aforementioned function.
Things will be different in next seme
ster's Daily Nebraskan. WeVe had a larger
number of conservative columnists
apply, and we've hired more right writers.
Conservatives, then, will have a greater,
though not dominant, voice. A deluge of
letters could well tip the balance either
way but that's up to you. If you have
something to say, say it.
Editor in Chief Chrb Welsch has set up
an editorial board to govern this section
next semester. Welsch, Editorial Writer
VicW Ruhga, News Editor Michiela Thu
man, an as yet unnamed employee from
another Daily Nebraskan department,
and the editorial page editor (me) will be
on that board. Welsch and I will decide
each week the topics for the Daily
Nebraskan's editorials. The board will
discuss the issues, then vote to decide the
newspaper's stance. An editorial author
will be assigned to write as the board has
decided.
Chris Bcrbach
D&Hy NcLrtfikan Senior Editor
mm mm tete
u2& Letters
Coal miners' chief
leads British chaos
i
ONDON After nine months of a strike engineered
N . Uy O, UlllUil ICtiU Cl will u )l l.OiUl-lll ui hu uiuuh 1UI
JLJ life, and who evaded the union requirement for a
strike vote, British coal miners are destitute of every
thing, including hope. Even the public sympathy normal
ly accorded miners has been forfeited because of miners'
violence. There have been 8,000 arrests, 2,000 injuries
and three deaths. The violence is an emanation from the
union leader, who is one reason British politics today is
more bitter than it was in the 1930s.
Gorge
Will
Parents thank students, officials
On Nov. 10, the Nebraska football team played Kansas
at Lawrence, Kan. Among the fans going to the game
was a carload of six young women students. On the way,
they came upon a patch of ice and had an auto accident.
Two of the women were killed.
The rest is why we are writing this letter. We have
never came across a more loving, caring and helpful
group of young adults. When we arrived at Lincoln
General Hospital to identify our daughter Jane, many
students were there to console us. In the ensuing hours
and days, they were even more helpful even going to
Missouri to pick up our youngest son who attends
college there. Then many students came to the mortuary
and to the funeral. Afterward, students came to our
house just because they wanted to tell us that they
cared.
We'd also like to thank the administration because of
their letters and attitudes. We do not know many of your
names, but we do feel confident in this generation of
young people they are wonderful.
In ending we, our two sons who are college students
and our daughter who just graduated from college,
want to publicly thank each and every one of you. Thank
you.
Bernard and Janice Ortmeier
parents of Jane Ortmeier
Sculpture already was condemned
I am writing in regard to the picture of the "sculpture"
in the dumpster on East Campus (Daily Nebraskan, Dec.
4).
First, I would like to say that the incident was an
obvious case of euthanasia (mercy killing). The "sculp
ture" seemed to be a conglomeration of old farm
machinery parts strewn together in a strange and
unrecognizable fashion. Most East Campus students
already had condemned it and it finally found a proper
home.
If the people who were responsible for its placement
wanted an agricultural symbol they could find several
farmers willing to donate a piece of old machinery that
would represent agriculture much better. I sincerely
hope someone didn't pay money for it, especially student
funds. However, if they did, they may as well take their
financial beating and get as much out of it as possible
from a salvage or scrap iron company. The most positive
comment IVe heard about it is that it seems to be solid.
While I appreciate the fact that vandalism is wrong, I
submit that this was not vandalism but civil dis
obedience. Vandalism implies that something was
destroyed or defaced, but so far it was only moved. If
this "sculpture" had not been an eyesore on an otherwise
well-groomed campus, it would not have been con
demned. Who knows, if left to its own devices, it may
have crawled into the dumpster on its own out of sheer
embarrassment from all the verbal abuse it has taken.
Three cheers for the person responsible. Finally,
justice is done!
Rob Wetovick
junior
political science-English
Burr-Fedde and East Campus resident
Letter
Policy
The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the
editor from all readers and interested others.
Letters will be selected for publication on the basis of
clarity, originality, timeliness and space available. The
Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit all material
submitted.
Readers also are welcome to submit material as guest
opinions. Whether material should run as a letter or
guest opinion, or not run, is left to the editor's discretion.
Letters and guest opinions sent to the newspaper
become property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be
returned.
Submit material to the Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska
Union, 1400-R St, Lincoln, Neb. 685SS-0448.
If Britain named, as Time magazine does, a "Man of the
Year," meaning the person who most dominates the
news, the winner would be the most detested man in
Britain, the union leader. He is a vain, oily, reptilian
Stalinist named Arthur Scar gill The name is as Dicken
sian as "Wackford Squeers," a comparably unpleasant f
character. Scargili is Called he Jim Jones of British 1
labor," and his behavior is compared, in terms of suicidal
folly, to that of Charles I.
The ostensible cause of the strike was the government's
decision to close a few of the most uneconomic coal
mines. (The Thatcher government has closed fewer
mines than the previous Labor government, and has
retreated from most of its mild plan.) But Scargiil's
announced objective was to bring down Britain's demo
cratically elected government.
To do SO, he needed to create industrial chaos. In
1974, nationwide chaos, with Scargdl's miners at the
center of it, brought about the fall of Ted Heath's
Conservative government But times have changed, and
so has the mood of most unions. The more prudent
leadership is a product of 13.4 percent unemployment
and new laws requiring union democracy votes on
leaders and strikes.
A quarter of ScarguTs miners including the most
productive never went out on strike. To keep his
strike going, he has sent union funds overseas to keep
them out of the hands of British courts and has taken
money from what he calls "trade unions" in Libya and
the Soviet Union. The Soviet money can be considered
payment for sendees rendered. He has denounced
Poland's Solidarity as anti-socialist, his denunciation
coming at about the time Gen. Jaruzelskf s gestapo was
murdering seven coal miners.
Although Scargm is Moscow's poodle, he is no Marxist.
The philosopher who sleeps in London's Highgate
Cemetary knew better than to think that thuggery could
substitute for history in producing revolutionary con
ditions. But assault, arson and murder are being used in
futile attempts to stop miners from returning to work.
The Thatcher government, seeing the strike coming,
allowed miners to work as much overtime as they
wanted. That tactic, and mild weather last winter,
produced high coal stocks. But Scargili has been
sustained by the cowardice of the Labor Party, and
especially of its leader, Neil Kinnock.
A JUmdoa Times editorial notes that Scargili left
ine uommunist Party because he objected to its de-
tX. . 1 on and he h3 Rever dekr.ed to disguise his
totaLtarian aims and methods. The Times says ScargilTs
stride may have done Britain a favor by dramatizing the
wide involvement of formal and informal communists in
maustriai and political life: The reds are not under the
me uug oi a veil
poems: "Not Wavina But n
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