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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1987)
Editorial Nebrayskan University of Nebraska-Lincoln Mike Reilley, Editor, 472-1766 Jeanne Bourne, Editorial Page Editor jann Nyffeler, Associate News Editor Scott Harrah, Night News Editor Joan Rezac, Copy Desk Chief Linda Hartmann, Wire Editor Charles Lieurance, Asst. A & E Editor Quibbles & bits Stress flares up amid student burnout • Newsweck’s On Campus magazine featured a story on student burnout this week. Fi nancial difficulties are cited as a factor of burnout along with stress associated with the desire to succeed. Student burnout could be cited as a cause of the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s academic probation problem. A depth story on Page 5 deals with the stress and men tal health problems that caused a Princeton University student from Omaha to resort to suicide. These types of problems haven’t been prevalent at UNL, but with financial aid getting harder to obtain, student stress could escalate easily. More counseling programs should be in the works. • UNL’s Faculty Senate gave its annual Academic Freedom Award to Paul Olson, English professor. Olson said academic freedom can survive only if everyone, both faculty and stu dents, defends it. He said teach ers’ fundamental duty “is to leave behind a community freer than we found it.” • Several Lincoln businesses have pledged to fight illiteracy, and Gov. Kay Orr presented a personal check for $1,000 to Jack McBride, general manager of the Nebraska Educational Television Network. Nebraska’s illiteracy rate is about 15 percent. Curt Scdcrburg, adult educa tion coordinator of Southeast Community College-Lincoln, said a national literacy cam paign last year, Project Literacy IJ.S., brought in many volun teers and 1,660 new students. Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials represent official policy of the fall 1987 Daily Nebraskan. Policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. Its members are Mike Reilley, editor; Jeanne Bourne, editorial page editor; Joan Rezac, copy desk chief; Jann Nyffeler, associate news editor; Charles Lieurance, assistant arts and entertainment editor; Scott Harrah, night news editor and Linda Hartmann, wire editor. Editorials do not necessarily reflect the views of the university, its em ployees, the students or the Nl! Board of Regents. The Daily Nebraskan’s publishers are the regents, who established the UNL Publications Board to supervise the daily production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student editors. Free-trade treaty possible U.S.y Canada approach long-overdue economic agreement The United States and Canada moved closer to an agree ment last week that could bring one of the most significant changes in the North American econ omy in decades. At long last, it ap pears that the United States and Can ada, the world’s two largest trading partners, may arrive at a free-trade agreement, abolishing or phasing out all internal tariffs and import quotas between the two countries. Better political relations, in addition to the economic benefits, now are seem ingly close at hand. Such a change in policy is long overdue, having been pushed aside in negotiations for almost 100 years. Enormous benefits are to be had for nations entering into free-trade agree ments, as has been shown by the most famous example, the European Com munity (EC), known as the Common Market. The EC, which includes the Euro pean Coal and Steel Community, the atomic energy agency EURATOM and the European Economic Commu nity (EEC), has, since its inception in 1958, undergone great economic growth and progress. Among its 12 member nations, trade exports within the EC itself rose from about one-third to well over one-half the value of total exports in the EC’s first decade. The phasing out of stagnating tariffs and quotas allowed Western Europe to invigorate its economy; trade between the United States and Canada would likely see a similar jump with a free trade agreement. However, the conception that a treaty will bring about an instant elimination of all trade barriers is way off the mark. Here again, the Euro pean Community’s battle against protectionism holds lessons for the negoli. tors of the treaty. An agree ment will be difficult because protcc tionirt sentiment is still strong in both Ottawa and Washington. The key issue at stake in the nego tiations is a sacrifice of national sov ereignty over trade policy. Our Senate clings jealously to the right to protect American markets from Canadian producers. This is quite similar to the Common Market’s initial problems, but in Europe, power has sacrificed in the wise interests of better long-term economic benefits. The EC’s 12 members have vested power in sev eral institutions to resolve disputes, including the European Commission and the European Parliament. If it had not been for this sacrifice of authority to a supranational forum, the Com mon Market’s success would have been impossible. It is essential that we swallow the same bitter pill, or our efforts will have been wasted. Examples that illustrate the need for a sacrifice of sovereignty are numerous in the EC. Shortly after the EC was created, Italy instituted a “statistical levy” designed to pay the costs of paperwork and customs offi cers associated with imports. The levy wasakindof“polltax,”aIlegedtopay the costs of holding elections, but really designed to reduce voter turn out among the poor. A firm appealed to the European Commission — not the Italian gov ernment — against the levy, which was promptly struck down as incon sistent with the principles of free trade. At times, efforts to wipe out trade barriers involve wildly complex is sues. In many cases, such barriers arc overturned successfully, but often they arc not. For example, Denmark maintains a 20() percent tax on all cars brought into the country. The Danes claim that the tax would apply to all cars, whether imported or domesti cally produced. There are no car manufacturers in Denmark. As we can see from looking at the EC, problems with a free-trade agree ment arc inevitable. But, in the long term, they do not outweigh the bene fits such a pact would create. In addition to increases in U.S.-Cana dian trade, it would be possible for our two countries to join together in trade negotiations with other nations, as the EC does for its 12 members. A unified position at the world Economic Summit or the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade talks would give North America far more influence. Probably even more impor tant, though, is the political unity that may arise out of closer relations with Canada. Economic disputes such as protec tionism exacerbate political prob lems. If the economic disagreements are resolved with the help of a su pranational authority, it is all the more likely that political disagreements will be easier to resolve. The unity of the EC was mostevident in the support of Britain during its war with Argen tina over the Falkland Islands, as well as with the dispute with the United States over the Soviet Union’s Sibe rian gas pipeline to Western Europe. Closer tics in the economic realm gave rise in both cases to better politi cal unity in Europe. We might do well to follow Europe in hope of similar gains. At present, the United States and Canada arc the two largest trading partners in the world. If we are fortu nate enough to see last week’s “tenta tive agreement” become a practical free-trade treaty, the long-term results will be well worth it. The interdepend ence of our two nations’ economies demands an end to the stagnating policies of protectionism we inflict ' upon ourselves. The first step is the hardest, and with it behind us, both economic and political benefits may be close behind. Snodgrass is a senior economics major. More insight, some hints on bike issue Reader intrigued with bike issue This bicycle controversy thing is getting intriguing. I’m really getting into it, so I’m going to speak my mind. I am a bicycle enthusiast who started riding at the age of 12, so I’m not just stepping into the middle of something where I don’t really have a place to step in. In response to Jim Saalfcld’s letter (Daily Nebraskan, Oct. 14), I would like to say that Laura Hansen’s letter (DN, Oct. 12) was directed to the downtown scope of bicycle riding. Don’t gel me wrong, Jim, because I’m not striking you down for what you wrote; but it came off as a cut-down of what Hansen wrote. I do sympathize with you and the rest of the walking student population who worry about their safely. I was almost struck once. 1 was glad that the bicycle that almost hit me had good brakes; otherwise I’d have missed a few classes. The inci dent was partially my fault, however, because I was looking down at the ground while thinking about material discussed in a class I had just left. But the bicyclist apologized, and I could tell he was sorry by the look on his face. Consider, though, a student who might be in a hurry to get to a class (or elsewhere) or one who has adjacent classes on opposite sides of the cam pus. True, if that student is simply in a hurry because he/she is going to be late, it would have been better to have left a little earlier, gone to bed earlier the night before or maybe not have drunk so much the night before. For wuaicvcr reason, uiai person is in a hurry (or would simply like the luxury of being able to take less traveling time) and is using a bicycle as a faster means of transportation than legs. The safety concern is valid, and I agree that it has posed a problem. During crowd-passing times between classes (in the morning and thccarlicst part of the afternoon), a bicyclist has to be very careful or else he/she is going to hamper the general lifestyle of an innocent student. Think about it a minute, though. How many bicy clists on this campus do you think aren’t aware of the number of students walking and how careful they should be while riding? Well, if there arc any, they shouldnrt own a bicycle in the first place. Riding a bicycle on cam pus between classes is like driving a car downtown during the lunch hour and other rush hours: if you’re not careful, you’re going to ruin someone’s day. People who aren’t careful or considerate of pedestrians will learn their lesson, but hopefully not inflict any damage in the process. They probably shouldn’t own a bi cycle, either. Here’s an idea for those pedestri ans who arc looking over their shoul der, etc., for a potential assailant: If pedestrian traffic isn’t at a peak (i.c., between classes or other crowded times), it would be a great help to those of us who do ride bicycles (and ulti mately to you, the pedestrian) if the edges of sidewalks were used for walking. This would leave plenty of room for bicyclists, and a potential accident-prone situation might just be prevented. If bicyclists should meet on the sidewalks, then they should be able to use their common sense and experience 10 avoid an accident. Let’s face it, people, bicycles are part of our environment — they’re almost everywhere here in Lincoln; and come on, we’re all in college. It shouldn’t be too hard to use common sense and consideration for everyone else, pedestrians and bicyclists alike, to ensure the safety of all. It would really stink if someone couldn’t go to classes because he/shc got hurt as a result of a bicycle-related accident. I’m not trying to imply that a bicyclist has to be at fault — a pedestrian who makes a sudden move can be just as much to blame. „ , , Kirby Dchnel computer science U.S. doesn't belong in Latin America William Avery had an excellent guest editorial in the Lincoln Journal Oct. 8: “Monroe Doctrine: Ignored, perverted from the beginning.” Avery notes that the doctrine of 1823 said that the United States would resist further European colonization in this hemisphere and consider any such attempt a threat to itself. He cites specific violations of the doctrine since its inception. It makes no sense, according to Avery, to claim that this doctrine should be applied to what is going on in Central America today. I agree. No country in Latin America ac cepts the continuing U.S. assertion of the Monroe Doctrine. It is an insult to their independence and self-determi nation. Virtually all of these countries oppose the present U.S. policies in Central America — even those coun tries friendly to the United States. 1 hey strongly urge us to support the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the area, such as what the Arias Plan offers. We need to encourage thought that problems in the area stem primarily from unjust social and economic sfructurcs that have existed in the area since the coming of the Europeans. Let’s gel behind the Arias pro posal, not subvert it with more Contra aid. Jean E. Gilbert College of Nursing should stay open Never have I encountered such poor judgment on behalf of the Uni versity of Nebraska Board of Regents in considering closing the Nursing College. The college is one of the most comprehensive fields of study at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The men and women in this pro gram don’t just attend classes and study on certain evenings to get their degrees. They also are subject to much more practical stress. After their classroom studies are finished, many of their evenings are spent at one of the major hospitals in the Lincoln area perfecting their skills with hands-on experience. The level of study in this program is seldom seen in any of the bachelor degree programs. So how do we reward these men and women for their devotion to their program? By threatening to pull their funds out from under their feet. The question should not be if the college should be continued, but why more funds are not being appropriated for the col lege. It was pleasing to see that enroll ment within the Nursing College has almost doubled from last year. When you think of all the thousands of people these future nurses will help over the years, the funds to keep the college open are more than well spent. If we let a quality component of the university learning slip from our grasp, the integrity of UNL will suf fer. It will become a school that puls the dollar ahead of the needs of the students and the entire community. Harrison C. Taylor senior English One-parent home is still good home As the single parent of a child from a “broken home,” I am offended by Joel Carlson’s editorial column (Daily Nebraskan, Oct. 12). Maturity and responsibility are the kev factors in one’s ability to be an effective parent, not the specific number of parents or whether they must work outside the home. Let me assure you, Carlson, the fact that my ex-husband and I no longer cohabi tate docs not in any way hinder our ability to provide good role models for our child. Yes, teen-age pregnancy is a prob lem, and I commend you for calling it to our attention again. My point is that many people can be reached through the editorial pages, and I merely ask that you use that opportunity to bring new insight to the issue. Marian Langan life sciences