ERA adoption recommended by House committee
By NAN HENDERSON
Of the Emerald
SALEM (Special) — With
ratification of the Equal Rights
Amendment to the US. Con
stitution by the 38 states
necessary appearing more and
more uncertain, the Oregon
House State and Federal Affairs
Committee Monday voted six to
three to send a resolution (SJR 4)
calling for ratification to the floor
of the House with a “be adopted”
recommendation
The vote came after three more
hours of testimony during the
third hearing on the amendment
of the legislative session.
The State Senate 'Hmrsday
voted 23-6 in favor of SJR 4 and
the House is expected to approve
LOOK
we ere row a authorized
dealer for the
fall line of
KELTY PACKS
ad accessories
★ Pack frames and bags
★ Frame extensions and rain covers
★ Ponchos and rain chaps
★ Day packs and sleeping bag carriers
Come in and see us for all your needs in cross
country skiing, downhill skiing, backpacking,
and mountain climbing.
BERGS SKI & SPORT SHOP
the resolution before the end of
the week, making Oregon the 24th
state to ratify the amendment.
Nationally however, the
outlook is less optimistic as 10
states have rejected the amend
ment which says “equality of the
rights under the law shall not be
denied or abridged by the United
States or by any state on account
of sex,” and a resolution which
would repeal Idaho’s ratification
was introduced Monday in the
Idaho Legislative Assembly.
Concern is growing among
women’s rights groups, both
locally and nationally, about
ratification which they once felt
was almost certain. A vote
against ratification by three of
the 17 states still considering the
issue would kill the proposed 27th
amendment to the U.S. Con
stitution.
In Monday’s hearing,
arguments nearly identical to
those stated in previous hearings
were voiced again by proponents
and opponents of the amendment.
The opponents, representing
such groups as Happiness of
Womanhood and Parents far the
Preservation of Family, seem
[ Briefs
(ConSnueafromPage7)^
Noon to 2 49 p.m Earplay, Artnur Berger.
Johan Hummel. National Press Club Ad
dress and Keith Jarrett
2 49 p.m to 5 p.m. Erik Satie. German
Press Review. The Penny whistlers; Dimitri
Shostakovich and Steve Kuhn
S p.m. to 7:19 p.m. All Things Considered;
Fine Arts Calendar; Spanish Music for the
Classical Guitar and Arthur Honnegar.
7:19 p.m. to Signotf Franz Haydn, Italian
Concertos; Hal Holbrook; The Greatest
Hits Album; Antonin Dvorak and KWAX II.
primarily concerned that the
amendment would grant “even
broader powers to Congress.”
University law professor Herb
Titus speaking as “an objective
legal expert from the University
law school” told the committee
that theoretically, Congress
could “usurp just about
everything state government
does.”
But he said it was important to
note what Congress could do in
theory and what it would do in
practice. “If the states assume
their responsibility it is unlikely
that Congress will see a need to
respond to ratification of the
amendment on the state level,”
Titus said.
He called “the two year grace
period” between the time the
amendment is ratified and the
time it would go into effect “a
very important aspect” as it will
allow states to revise current
discriminatory laws.
Titus said it was his personal
opinion that if the amendment is
not ratified “it would hamper the
growth of law towards equal
treatment of men and women.”
Other arguments against
ratification claim that the
amendment would force in
tegrated restrooms, cause an
increase in the divorce rate and
the crime rate and end the
obligation of the husband to
support his family. These were
again voiced by opponents to the
amendment and again
discounted by legal testimony.
A Willamette law professor,
Ross Runkel, said “all of these
horrible examples of what may
happen if the amendment is
ratified are essentially straw
men.”
Mary Eyre, a representative
from the League of Women
Voters, however felt the
arguments against ratification
could be worse.
“At least I haven’t heard
anyone say what a legislator in
Montana said last week,” Eyre
said. “He said if men and women
were meant to be equal Jesus
would have said six male
disciples and six female
disciples.”
Mediation
correction
A mediation session between
negotiating teams from the
University and the Oregon State
Employees Association (OSEA)
will be held this Thursday in
Eugene, not Wednesday as
reported in Monday’s Emerald.
The Emerald was given
inaccurate information con
cerning the mediation session
date.
The session will be conducted
by a conciliator from the state’s
Public Employee Relations
Board.
OSEA is negotiating a new two
year contract with the University
concerning representation of the
University’s classified staff.
The University and OSEA have
reached an impasse an 10 points
of negotiation, and both parties
have agreed to submit to this
Thursday’s mediation session.
f
V
yhoU
Leather coats
cord coat<r~
velvet coats
i • I i ■
COQ fn\\ rivi+c'i
T>T HF '
1253 ALDER ACROSSED STREET FROM
. * , ^ SACRID HART <£>
Sweaters, sportsUirts,T-shirts ◄
lady's tops and dresses^j£ off