| OCR Text |
Show Carl T. Rowan Pe Ainiew Gets His, Salt iakc tribune aturday Morning, April 18, 1970 Tag Others-Forgets O 12 ! Spiro T. AgnpsC Is a American who became a college dropout because, as he put it. he paid too little attention to his studies Spiro Agnew still had a route out cf poverty, how e er, because he could go to law school at nights. He did, graduating in 1947, but when he opened a law firm he He flopped miserably. wound up working in a food maiket. Then Spiro T. Agnew began to dabble in politics where he was a mediocrity uni il fate gave him two big smiles. A segregationist named George Mahoney wror. the Democratic nomination for governor of Maryland in 1966. Thousands of decent Marylanders abandoned the Democratic ticket and voted for Agnew as the lesser of two evils, sending him to the statehouse. WASHINGTON second-generatio- Success Amid Failure In tei ms of attaining its initial objectives, the aborted flight cf Apollo 13 to the moon was a failure. But m terms of turnended ing defeat into victory, the mission as a joyous success. As manned space flight continues, this unplanned accomplishment could well be more significant than achievement of the original moon goals. Apollo 13s difficulties demonstrated both strengths and weaknesses of Americas space program. They showed that despite previous, almost flawless flights, vital equipment stdl must be improved and that additional safeguards and added survival facilities must be built into future missions. And the disablement provided a grueling test of astronaut training and ground control operations and All proved more than equal to the demands. stern, Though their lives were dependent on the scores of technician manning Apollo flight stations on earth, it was their cool courage in the crippled and cramped unspacecraft during the iong, tense and in crucial was comfortable return that Lovell A. James of lives Jr., the saving John L. Swigeit Jr. and Fred W. Haise and marked them as modern heroes. Attention focused on the dramatic flight now will be diiected at the na per-tuniic- split-secon- l. d le-tu- rn tions manned space program and the remaining Apollo moon missions. Cancellation of other planned lunar exploration is certain to be proposed, and in the wake of this weeks stress such suggestions are likely to find wide favor. This natural reflex must be resisted. Theie isn't a great dam, a toweling skyscraper, a majestic cathedral that was not built under a cloud of danger, often at the cost of many human lives. All major exploration has exacted such a toll but man has always pushed on. Tragedy on early polar expeditions could not prevent man from going back and neither can near tragedy, even loss of men, prevent humans from continuing to explo.e the Inoffensive Choice moon. It is ridiculous to suppose that an undertaking as dangerous and as complex as space exploration can be carried through without additional loss. Everything has its price and part of that price must sometimes be paid in human life. It is toward keeping this life-colow Apollo 13 mission has served so well. It pointed up weaknesses and in so doing it helped make that the star-crosse- n st d every succeeding space flisht safer. When final assessments can be weighed, this dramatic failure may yet be judged one the most useful in the Apollo series. Then two years later, when Richard M. Nixon was trying to keep his Southern delegates to the Republican convention in line, he made what he thought was a secret promise who would not to pick any running-mat- e offend the South. Spiro T. Agnew got the nod. So, in the great Ameriran tradition, the poor son of Greek immigrants rose above his ow'n laziness and ineptitude to capitalize on an assessment of breaks and favors and become the Vice President of the United Sidles. Now diopou Agnew goes around the country warning colleges not to give the benefit of doubt to the poor a,nd, the black who see higher education as their rou'e out of poverty and nothingness. e Now the flop as a lawyer is talking about a natural aristocracy that he wants to reign on campus and rule tne land. This man whu lucked his way out cf says campuses are already and they ought not be cluttered up by minority group members whose high school educations were so inferior that universities have to set up special tutoring courses for them. For more than a year millions of Americans have wanted to believe that Agnew was a sort of aberration of just a dumb joke history. It must now be clear to everyone that he is no joke. Personifies Conflict As he pushes his cynical Iv t; ei a: one-tim- Stop brooding, John. We'll wliup them damn Yankees Yet. New Board Making Progress Nobo-dysvil- le over-crowd- Utah's new State Board of Higher Education is moving deliberately but tiously toward the position assigned it by the 1969 Legislature. Care is important because while the board's purpose holds immense promise, old, familiar ways will have to be challenged. The need to stress ultimate aims was again underlined by Dr, Leon R. McCarrey, the boards associate commissioner for academic affairs, in a speech at Utah State University. He repeated that a cooperative relationship should develop between the institutions, thir advisory councils and the single board if a stronger, coordinated state university and college system is to develop as planned. When the single board act was passed an attempt was made to retain the best aspects of the preceding method for governing higher education. This included giving the institutions and those most closely connected with them an effective voice in the affairs of the institutions. Dr. McCarrey noted that the board has taken the position that each of the nine institutions within the system should plan vigorously to meet the changing needs of higher education in Utah . . He recognized, however, that the SBHE is cau- ultimately responsible for fitting the details into a master pattern that is supposed to anticipate the best possible distribution of Utahs higher education resources. The board has asserted itself by assigning new course content at such institutions as the University of Utah, Weber State College, Utah State University and Utah Technical College at Provo. It is filling in policy working on board gaps not specifically covered by the 1969 act. This could lead to some open conflicts. As is often the case, what a law doesnt say can cause more trouble than what it does. If there is resistance to the single boards work, it might find expression in a difference over how the new statute is interpreted. However, we believe the laws intentions are clear enough. The aim is to give Utah a strong, informed coordinated effort in its higher education program which will protect instead of squandering existing quality. Major change is seldom easy and the board was bound to encounter rough spots. But a good start has been made, there is excellent reason to expect success. by-law- s, The Public Forum Difficult Le.son Editor, Tribune: Spiro Agnew has suggested that Justice William O. Douglas should be investigated for his statement that in some cases rebellion is justified. It is disturbing to learn from our vice president that our United States, born in a violent rebellion in which several of our earlier presidents openly and aggressively took part, was unjustified; that we are probably illegitimate; and that our Constitution, which followed directly out of such rebellion, is presumably void. I find it difficult to adjust to the fact that a man I had been taught was one of our better Presidents, Tom Jefferson, will have to be investigated for an even more subversive idea: That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends (life, libet-tand the pursuit of happiness), it is the it is their duty, to right of the people throw off such government . . When do the Messrs. Agnew and Nixon plan to abdicate in favor of our rightful sovereigns, Elizabeth II and Harold Wilson? Was this the reason for tidying up and redecorating the palace guard in white uniforms, to make the White House more homelike for Her Majesty when it is turned back to governmental unit requires its emto wear a distinct uniform, then it ployes should provide that employe with money to buy and maintain the special clothing. That is the way it is, and should be, with Utah highway patrolmen, Salt Lake driver license City police offices examiners and others. But extending the allowance to x'ne 16 members of the stale liquor law enforcement agency may be going too far. Unlike highway patrolmen and city police, the liquor law agents seldom are asked to appear in uniform although it is said they sometimes must wear special clothes for some phases of their investigative work. To provide each man a proposed $23 a month for a uniform he wears only on special occasions could b? giving each man a thinly disguised pay raise. Rather than offer a clothing allowance, which for 16 men at $25 a month amounts to S4.S00 a year, it would be better for the agency to buy tne uniforms, issue them to the men. reclaim them when the agent quits, and. where possible, issue them again. Any sjtecial clothing required could be paid for by the state on an oxense account claim. Actually, wt can see no icason w hy the 36 agents, whose chief function is to watt h for liquor law violations, would ever need a uniform since the nature of their work requires that they not draw undue attention. As for special ceremonial events cited by Raymond A. Jackson, state public safety commissioner, in asking the board of Examiners for the allowance, ve see no necessity for the liquor agents having to be present. If uniformed men are needed for decoration, why not bring in the already uniformed fish and game officers? Dedication, Plus As part of a nationwide protest of the Vietnam War some Salt Lake students have been fasting. We commend their dedication and their choice of the means for registering dissent. Fasting is highly peisonal, it disrupts nobody but the individual refusing food. And for students it is a genuine sacrifice to a belief. Consider that many of the youngsters foregoing food aie fast growing teenagers. used to having their hands in the refrigerator most of their waking hours. For these boys and girls to deny themselves nourishment for two days is equivalent to a hunger feat by someone like Ghandi. -- six-wee- k Another Aie point President Revives Barbaric 'Dead Horse From The Milwaukee Journal President Nixon erred distressingly in feeling that he had to revive the dead horse of capital punishment by way of showing enough zeal to suppress the crazy bombing wave. Juri when that relic of barbarism has become all but defunct in practice, proposing to write new death penalties is a driervice. By ad means let us plug any loopholes in eis.;ng criminal laws impose whatever prison sentences are appiopiiate to such a frightful crime, nioie readily brivg the resource? or tne FBI to bear in bomb cases and especially shui down the easy availability of explosives, just as we should be doirg wih handguns. lbs list of such proposals was 1 more than enough to prove his diligence politically. He only spoiled the image by further proposing that society revert to official barbarism in fatal cases or the new vandalism. Executions in this country have dropped off to zero in each cf the last two years, and it only remains to wipe out the obsolete laws that still technically authorize them, in the federal and many state codes. Mori other civilized countries havc uune that long since. Congress should reject this part of Nixon's anibomb program. Unfortunately, his having bi ought it up may set back the promising movement in Congress to repeal the federal death penalties still extant. What is even more disturbing in the recent incident is the process through which the Salt Palace board decided to cancel The Doors, as not being fit for a Salt Lake audience. All of us must be concerned when the whole community is subject to a n moral or even entertainment filter, no matter how sincere or genuinely concerned such a filter might be. A difficult and complex matter this is, no doubt. But the Sait Palace board would be wise to give serious thought to developing some process through which all points of view in the community can receive a hearing on such matters. Haphazard, hurried and protective censorship might well be more corrupting to individuals and community than anything obscene The Doors might come up w ith. WESLEY FRENSDORFF Dean, St. Marks Cathedral one-ma- ... Liquor Agents Dont Need Uniforms & Our Readers y, her? If By DANIEL P. ATWOOD Potentially Damaging Editor, Tribune: The letter by Terry L. Johnson (Forum, April 12) demands an answer. Mr. Johnson makes the statement that the census is not an invasion of rights. He goes on to say that the information obtained is confidential and will be used only for statistical purposes. I wonder if Mr. Johnson is aware of the fact that the information from the 1970 census is to be computerized and that six Census Bureau executives have access to the information in such a way that each individual can be matched to his answers. The statistics could be obtained instead by using a twro part questionnaire ; one, to identify families with location ; two, an anonymous questionnaire containing the personal questions many people object to. This second portion could be mai'ed directly to the Census Bureau in Washington. A great many people have expressed concern over the proposed gun registration as being counter to the interests of a free, democratic society. How much more potentially damaging is a situation wherein the government has a complete dossier on each individual in the country? Think about it ! C. R. JUVELIN Cedar City DLturbing Process Editor, Tribune: The recent cancellation The Doors by the Salt Palace management raises, once again, two vitally important questions. My concern is with the issue of obscenity, but in this case aho, and even more so. v ith the process by which this group was prevented from performing in Salt Lake City. Until a few days ago I had not heard of this group or of the apparent controversy attached to it. Thus, I in no way claim to judge the content of the performance. But it is clear from varied expressions of opinion that there is some question as to what constitutes obscenity in this or any other case. Unfortunately, as a culture, we seem to have limited the concept of obscenity to matters related to sex, sexual expression and sexual activity. All of us might well hope that our sexuality, which is ultimately so good that it is holy, would not only be fittu of many misuses, but also that we might be liberated from that which considers matters of sex dirty instead of sacred. As far as obscenity is concerned, even the Supreme Court appears to have considerable difficul'y with rlelinjt jnn. of I hat Ambassadors! Editor, Tribune: On March 21, an excellent group of young people from your city gave a magnificent performance in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. It was the beginning of the Easter vacation there and the University of Sonora, where the group performed, was closed. In spite of this the audience was a good one. The concert was very successful. The singing of the University of Utah Chamber Choir was superb and was conducted by Dr. Bernell Hales. The audience was appreciative. The group sang in Spanish and that brought the house down. They loved it. This is such a beautiful group of young people you have. One woman in the audience repeated over and over: Que embajadores." What ambassadors! You are very fortunate to have such a capable leader as Dr. Hales ior your young people in your city. I just thought you might like to know. May you always appreciate Jour good fortune. RUTH TORRES Downey, Calif. More Harm Than Good Editor, Tribune: The Salt Lake County Civic Auditorium Board should be censured for its cancellation of an April 11 concert in the Salt Palace by The Doors. Mr. Duryea was sent to Boston at public expense April 10 to view two performances which he termed "objectionable, calling the group uncontrollable. I imagine the Brahmins of tne staid old city might well roll over in their graves at such goings on. The cancellation lends even more credibility to the proposition that increased repression of the desires of the young people of the area to communicate with their peers through chosen idioms (such as rock music) and to be exposed to the better performers in order that they might make their own estimation of relative musical ability will soon lead to a greater antagonism among the joung. Censorship of this nature will do more harm than good in the long run. The young people must be allowed to decide for themselves. Arrangements must be made to bring The Doors back to Salt Lake City. MILES L. DONOVAN -- clods line, he has come to personify all the class conflict, the racial hostility, the cultural and and generation gaps, that have transformed this society into a tinderbox. It cant all be naivete. Only a calculated maliciousness could provoke the No. 2 elected official to try to convince a troubled populace that the woes of this society arise from a new socialism that sets Up college quotas for minority groups. An enlightened official ought to be explaining that our troubles run deep precisely because for too long the colleges had quotas that kept $11 but a few minority group members out. Plays to Prejudice But rather than deal with reality, the Vice President prefers to pander to the prejudices of the most ignorant and selfish elements in society. He wants sick people to beware of a doctor who got into medical school under a quota, completely ignoring the fact that doctors must pass college and state examinations certifying that, whatever the program that got them into school, learning and achievement got them out. Three years ago I sat in the home of an American embassy official in Santiago, .Chile, listening to university students berate the United States for a variety of social injustices. After an hour oi so of this, I asked each Chilean to tell me what his father did. Eveiy student was from an upper-crufamily. Middle Class Americans I then went around the room, asking each American what kind of family he had Come from. It turned out that all had come" from ' families. very poor or middle-clas- s The Chileans got the point: that fot $11 the wrongs, and injustices of the Unilea States, there was social mobility. A" man could move from the other side of the tfacks to Fat Catville, as Sprio Agnew did, and that had kept alive Horatio Alger dreams format least two centuries. But now Agnew is attacking social mobileducaity and the one peaceful route to it tion. , Agnew has gone to great pains to assure the nation that he has p n IQ of 135 and .that he is only five IQ points below being a genius. It is possible that the Vice President is so exceptionally smart that to us normal people he seems dumb. . . - Ai st The Grant Cartoon u . ; Demonstrated Lack Editor, Tribune: Laurence Burton wants to be a senator so bad he has already started playing the role. He lets everyone Know he would have supported Judge Carswell, and predicted that he would be nr.med. Well, he was wrong. With the help of 13 Republican senators who vote their own conscience, not juri rubber stamp White Houre oiders, the Senule has rightly defeated Carswell. Larry Burton has once again demonstrated his lack of qualifications to be a senator. We cannot keep him from playing thp Ted game, but we can keep a real senator Moss on the job in Washington. LLOYD D. rERKTNS f I H n i 3) 11 I! In ! fr,.. i W,. ' " 1, 1. I U T r I ; t Are you sure you brought the Richard . . . Richard? f coip-pas- s? i t |