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Theater group slates
weekend Salem show
The Eugene Theater Company is one step closer to realizing its
ambition of presenting a traveling repertory of Bicentennial plays. The
company's performance of Joaquin Miller's “Forty Nine” will open in
Salem this weekend.
The play will be presented this Friday and Saturday at the Pentacle
Theater, 352 52nd St. NW, in Salem. Tickets cost $3 and may be
purchased at Stevens and Son in Salem or at the door. The perfor
mance starts at 8 p.m.
Dance scheduled tonight
The EMU Program Committee welcomes all students back to the
University with an evening of dancing and music — best of all, it’s free!
A new Eugene rock entrourage. Shinola. will perform in the EMU
Ballroom from 8:30 to 11 tonight.
Learning center offers classes
Flunk a course last term? Do poorly in several other classes? If one
of your resolutions this year is to improve your study habits, the Learn
ing Resource Center may be able to help you.
Need to learn how to study for an exam?
Do you have trouble spelling?
A vocabulary class helps expand spoken and written verbal skills
with small group discussions and light doses of reading.
More information about all of these classes is available from the
Learning Resources Center in Room 268 Condon Hall, or call
686-3226.
WHY...
JOHNNY PRINT O
COPY SHOP ■
BECAUSE
Johnny Print Copy Binding Graphic Art
Collating Business Card Rubber Stamp
Offset Print Wedding Stationery Shop
WONT FIT ON A LETTERHEAD.
around the corner.1219 Alder.345-4141
also .... 470 East 11th .... 484-2191
r
EMU FOOD SERVICE
SODA BAR &
PIZZA-BURGERS
open every day
Noon
11 : 15 p.m
Sat.-Sun.
Jim Gregory
Dennis Pfaff
Greg Wasson
Greg Clark
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Chris Story
Bob Welch
Jenifer Blumberg
Jerril Nilson
Jo Ann Fahlgren
Jeff Nielson
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Brad Lemley
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Kate Seigal
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Ted Johnston
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Oregon Daily Emerald
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday through Friday
during fall, winter and spring terms, except during exam weeks and
vacation periods During summer session the Emerald is published
Tuesday and Thursday during the eight-weak term and on Thursday
the last three weeks at the eleven week term.
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published by the Oregon DaPy
Emerald Publishing Co., Inc., at the University at Oregon. Eugene.
Oregon 97403
Subscription rates:
(1) University ot Oregon student and faculty-staff subscription
rales are baaed on annual contracts the Emerald makes wtth the
Associated Students of the University ot Oregon and with the Univer
sity administration. The subscription rate is $3.52 a parson.
(2) Special subscriptions for parsons not in category (t) are
available for $15 a year (12 months) or $6 a term.
The Oregon Daily Emerald offices are in the north wing ot the Erb
Memorial Union “'--ws editorial phone number is 686-5511. Display
advertising is 666-3712 Classified advertising number Is 686-4343.
The Oregon Daily Emerald is a member of Associated Press and
College Press Service.
Constitution may cover pot use
The joint you are smoking may
soon be protected by the U.S.
Constitution, if a number of suits
being filed in state and federal
courts around the country are
successful. Alaska has already
given constitutional protection to
pot use in the home.
The National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws
(NORML), the nation's most suc
cessful pot lobby, has filed suits
claiming that the use of marijuana
in the home falls under the protec
tion of the constitutional right to
privacy. NORML has filed suits in
California, Illinois, Tennessee and
the District of Columbia.
The suits mark a major shift in
NORMLs strategy, which has
formerly concentrated its re
sources on lobbying efforts in
Congress and various state legis
latures. NORML was instrumental
in getting marijuana de
criminalized in six states
But the decision of the Alaska
Supreme Court broke the ice on
the constitutional issue and set a
strong precedent that will be used
in the other suits. NORML will now
devote a much greater proportion
of its resources to court battles
than it had earlier, but will continue
to lobby in legislatures as well.
The Alaska Supreme Court, in
its unanimous ruling, stated that
there was no firm evidence that
marijuana use was harmful to the
user or would constitute a public
health problem of any significant
dimension. ..Mere scientific
doubts," said the court, “did not
warrant government intrusion into
the privacy of the home.”
Since the Alaska decision was
based on a privacy clause in the
state constitution rather than the
U.S. Constitution, it cannot be ap
pealed to the U.S. Supreme
Court.
That aspect is one of the advan
tages of pursuing marijuana re
form through the courts rather
than legislative bodies, according
to Keith Stroup, director of
NORML. The court decision is not
subject to the whimsy of politi
cians. Once the decision is made
in a state supreme court, based on
the state constitution, it has fun
damental protection that can only
be changed by the court itself or
by a constitutional amendment.
A decision putting marijuana
use under the protection of the
right of privacy would also allow
someone to cultivate the weed for
personal use and to transport it as
well. Under the Alaska decision,
there is no constitutional protec
tion for amounts of marijuana for
sale rather than for personal use.
But at the same time, there is no
maximum quantity explicitly set
for personal use and the court
generally assumed that amounts
of pot ranging from eight ounces
to one pound are for personal use.
This amount is much greater than
that set in even the most liberal
laws passed by state legislatures,
which generally designate an
ounce or less for personal use.
In addition to the principle ar
gument of the right of privacy, the
suits also claim that current mari
juana laws constitute cruel and
unusual punishment for the of
fense involved, and that the laws
deny equal treatment under law,
since alcohol and tobacco are not
treated the same even though
there is definite proof that they can
post health hazards.
Some of the arguments oppos
ing constitutional protection for
the private use of marijuana state
that the substance has indeed
proven to be dangerous and that
constitutional protection would
open the door for similar rulings
for more dangerous drugs such as
heroin.
Peter Meyer, legal counsel for
NORML, counters these argu
ments on the grounds that the suit
deals only with manjuana, that
there is no positive proof of harm
and that the burden of proof is on
the state to prove that pot poses
some significant threat to the indi
vidual or danger to the public wel
fare — a threat that has not been
proven.
The question is bound to reach
the U S. Supreme Court. Since
the District of Columbia lies under
federal jurisdiction, the suit has
been filed in federal court. An ap
peal would go directly to the U S
Supreme Court, and according to
Stroup of NORML. either side that
loses will definitely take it to the
high court Former Attorney Gen
eral Ramsey Clark will donate his
time to argue for NORML s suit.
r
briefs
The bnefs section is tor campus and commun
ity announcements No bnef will be published tnat
charges an admission or donation fee Howeve'
classes that charge tuition or dinner events tnat
otter a free program even to those wno do not buy a
dinner wii be accepted
All bnefs must be typed, tnpte-spaced in a 65-unit
margin Handwritten bnefs will be given low priority
Bnefs will be published one time only in any
seven-day period as space permits
The deadline for bnefs is 2 p m the day before
publication
MEETINGS
The Incidental Fee Committee will hold rts first
meeting of Winter Term Tuesday at 7 p m m the
conference room of Suite V m the EMU The
Committee will discuss procedural matters and as
sign tag people for the budgeting process
MISCELLANEOUS
The Environmental Studies Center wil be open
this wee* Wednesday. Thursday and Friday for
people interested m working with us Winter Term
Credit is available for this opportunity of enncnmg
your environmental awareness and knowledge
Many protects m conjunction with other environ
mental groups awad you Drop by' 11 PLC) or give
us a call (x5006; Jo«n us'
A financial aid workshop will be held Jan 14 and
I
15 m tne EMU to explain application procedures
distribute 1976-77 application materials and ans
wer student questions about financial a*d The Jan
14 workshop will be held from 2 to 5 p m and tne
Jan 15 workshop from 8 to 11 am Room wiB be
posted AJi students who may be applying for finan
cial aid are urged to attend one of the sessions
For students who cannot attend me workshops
1976-77 application materials wrff be available at
the Finanoa. Aid office after Jan 15
Group experiences ottered by the Counseling
Center this Quarter include a group for couples
group training m assertive behavior and test anxiety
reduction and seff-actualization groups utilizing en
counter and rational-emotive techniques Groups
are open to al students and University employes
free of charge
For information call x 3227 or come by 150 Susan
Campbell Hall