NJPXA/Q F'liO'ACf Associated Press
L \*0 v w kUP MS XCLVr t Edited by Brandon Loomis
Soviet legislature approves land-leasing law
MOSCOW - Legislators over
whelmingly approved a bill Wednes
day that allows Soviets to acquire
land and bequeath it to their children,
a major modification of decades of
state control of land.
The law, however, stops short of
legalizing full private ownership of
property by strictly forbidding the
sale of land. Under the new law, plots
can only be leased, and the lease
prices will be set by the state.
The measure was part of a com
prehensive package designed to give
the force of law to the economic and
social reforms championed by Presi
dent Mikhail Gorbachev. The official
news agency Tasf called it “a major
legal document of Soviet economic
reform.”
The law is to serve as the basis for
further legislation by each republic to
regulate land distribution.
State ownership of land, inscribed
in the Soviet Constitution, has been a
cornerstone of communism since the
1917 revolution. But reformers and
economists repeatedly have called for
allowing private ownership as a way
of spurring growth in the troubled
economy.
In a commentary in Wednesday’s
edition of the newspaper Komso
molskaya Pravda, economist Pavel
Voshchanov welcomed the reform as
a first step to reversing a situation in
which the Soviet Union, with some of
the richest farmland on Earth, has
become a net importer of food.
The Soviet Constitution says “the
land, its minerals, waters and forests
are the exclusive property of the state.’
The Congress of People’s Deputies,
the Supreme Soviet’s parent body,
will be asked to change the Constitution
when it meets March 12.
By altering the Constitution and
allowing the roughly 23 million people
employed on the 26,000 collective
and 23,000 state farms to acquire
plots, the Kremlin leadership hopes
to raise farm productivity, which is
notoriously low on those farms.
The Supreme Soviet legislature first
voted separately on each chapter of
the 52-article measure, then approved
the entire law 349-7 with 12 absten
tions. The full Congress of People’s
Deputies must now approve it.
Under the law, land is not actually
purchased but leased, and is subject
to taxes. Lease prices will be set by
the state and sale of the plot will be
strictly forbidden, the law says.
The land may be bequeathed to the
holder’s children. But the children
would not be allowed to divide the
plot, and the land may be revoked if
the state determines that it has not
been utilized in a “rational” way or
if the holder seriously pollutes it.
Nebraskan
Editor Amy Edwards
472- 1766
Managing Editor Ryan Steeves
Assoc. News Editors Lisa Donovan
Eric Planner
Professional Adviser Don Walton
473- 7301
The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) is
published by the UNL Publications Board. Ne
braska Union 34, 1400 R St., Lincoln, NE,
Monday through Friday during the academic
year; weekly during summer sessions.
Readers are encouraged to submit story
ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan
by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a m. and 5
p.m. Monday through Friday. The public also
has access to the Publications Board. For
information, contact Pam Hein, 472-2588.
Subscription price is $45 for one year.
Postmaster: Send address changes to the
Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R
St..Lincoln, NE 68588-0448. Second-class
postage paid at Lined*. NE.
ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT
1990 DAILY NEBRASKAN
Only for student American Express* Cardmembers.
Apply tor the American Express" Card.
Then get ready to take off. In search of
adventure, action-or just simply to escape.
American Express and Northwest
Airlines have arranged these extraordinary
travel privileges on Northwest-exclusively
for student Cardmembers:
■ CERTIFICATES VALID FOR THE PURCHASE
of two $118 roundtrip tickets—to many
of the more than 180 cities in the 48 contig
uous United States served by Northwest.
Each certificate is good for a six month
period, and they will arrive within six
weeks after you receive the Card. Current
Cardmembers will automatically receive
their $118 certificates by March 15,1990
provided they are still full time students!"
■ 10% OFF ANY NORTHWEST FLIGHT—With
your own personalized discount card, valid
throughjanuary 1991 on all Northwest and
Northwest Airlink flights. (This discount
is not applicable to the $118 student
certificates and other certificates,
promotional or special status airfares.)
■ 2,500 BONUS MILES TOWARDS FREE TRAVEL—
when you enroll in Northwest’s World FYrks®
Free Travel Program.
AND NOW BECOMING A CARDMEMBER
IS AS EASY AS A TELEPHONE CALL
Just pick up the phone, call 1 800-942
AMEX, and talk to us. We’ll take your
application and begin to process it
immediately. (If you have your banking
information handy, like your account
number and bank address, it will help
speed the process.)
Keep in mind that our Automatic
Acceptance Program makes it easier for
you to become a Cardmember now, as a
student, than i' will ever be again
And remember that as a Cardmem
ber you’ll enjoy all the exceptional benefits
and personal service you would expect from
American Express.
So don’t miss out on a world of great
experiences. Pick up the phone. Apply for
the Card. And start packing!
Membership Has Its Privileges•
SOPHOMORES THROUGH GRADUATE STUDENTS:
APPLY TODAY
isfe 1-800-942-AMEX northwes?
—t.'JZzZ AIRLINES
•If you are already a student American Express Cardmember and have a question about this program, please send your written question, a copy of your student ID and class schedule to American Express, PO Box 35029,
Attn; Student Marketing, Greensboro, NC. 27425 Fare is for roundtnp travel on Northwest Airlines Tickets must be purchased within 24 hours after making reservations Fares arc nonrefundable and no itinerary changes
may be made after purchase Seats at this fare are limited and may not be available when you call Travel must originate by certificate expiration date and be completed within 60 days of that date Travel may not be available
between cities to which Northwest does not have published routings City fuel surcharges not included in fare from Boston ($2.50), Chicago ($500), Denver ($2 00) and Florida cities ($2 00) Certain blackout dates and
other restrictions may apply. For complete offer details, call 1 800-942 AMEX ©1990 American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc
THE AMERICAN EXPRESS* CARD FOR STUDENTS MORE THAN EVER
• s