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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1976)
editorial Homemade bombs The national government's policy of pushing for the consiruc tion of nuclear power reactors in place of hydroelectric and other conventional-type power generators has created two prob lems. The first and, perhaps the most obvious, is the creation of nuclear waste disposal problems. The second, less recognized, is the creation of nuclear by-products that can be used as compo nents in nuclear weapons. The present fission systems being used rely on fast breeder reactors that produce more nuclear fuel than they consume. These reactors also generate plutonium, the key ingredient in atomic weapons. In addition to the plutonium produced by these reactors in our own country, the US does a booming business in selling these breeder reactors to other countries. Top this situation off with the * fact that we also supply nuclear arms to our “friends," and we | have a world-wide source of components for nuclear weapons. The major nuclear powers have at least tried to come to * terms and limit the amount of nuclear weapons that could be used L in an atomic war. What controls or programs operate to limit the \ spread of fissionable material? A greater threat than an actual nuclear exchange among the super power is the danger of a terrorist group constructing their own backyard atomic bomb. The technology involved is not that difficult and the components are becoming readily available, especially outside of this country where they likely are to be less stringently controlled. It is not improbable that within six or seven years, if not some major American city may be held nuclear hostage by a terrorist group. Imagine the advantage of holding a million people hostage instead of a few embassy employes. There would be no defense against such a tactic. It is one thing to stand fast and risk sacrificing a few government employes and quite another to risk the population of an entire city. One proposal advocated is to ban the export of nuclear material that could be fashioned into a bomb. Critics of this position point out that other nuclear countries export such mater ial and our ban would not solve the problem. The point is that if we refrained from such activities, the amount of nuclear components available would be reduced. The strictest type of controls are needed to safeguard against the proliferation of nuclear material that can be converted into weapons. We must push for an agreement with other nuclear powers that would restrict both the availability of nuclear weapons components and the number of nuclear weapons devices sup plied directly to other countries. The alternative to such coopera tion is the likelihood that in the near future any major population center on the planet could be blackmailed with a homemade nuclear bomb. V Letters - Remove right United Airlines posted a sub stantial dollar loss for 1975, attri buted to the International Associa tion of Machinists’ (IAM) 16-day strike in December. Recall for a moment the calamity, the incon venience we experienced throughout the nation as a result of one labor group’s decision to strike and further refusal to negotiate. The adverse repercus sions extended to every major city and victimized many within the local community. I am told that this is a nation governed by its people, however, it appears that the peo ple are often governed by some thing else entirely different. What emerges from my analysis of the situation is another dimension of one of the most controversial is sues of this century: anti-trust. Before this country commits socio-economic suicide, construc tive and responsible political ad vocates should call for removing from any one labor union the richt to paralyze the entire country v. an entire community as IAM did last year. The anti-trust principle should be extended to include the labor movement accompanied by a bill of rights for management and workers who are caught up in the blight of a labor dispute. Furth more, laws that prohibit compul sory unionization are desperately needed for the growing number of productive individuals who prefer an open shop. It is accepted public policy that the government should enforce the country’s anit-monopoly Page 4 Section A policies, however, it appears that the only game in season is in the same forest frequented by or ganized labor. Greg Byler Architecture junior Laughter hollow The modest event (modest by comparison to similar ceremonies at other state universities) held Saturday in the Erb Memorial Ball room saw expression ot two types of power. Each expression was different. The inauguration drew its power from tradition and execu tive decision. The power expres sed through the inaugural event drew another power expression: humiliation. The strategy was con frontation through mimic and shouting. A quality of confrontation has been that it intensifies and under lines emotions and feelings. I watched as the two power sys tems met in the opening moments of the modest event. In years past some persons would have de monstrated their support of the confronters as they expressed their views. Others would have expressed their support as estab lished authority took its course. Saturday was different. It was a strange and perverse fun which said to the confronted: “I kill you; I humiliate you; and I obey my im pulse without asking myself if it is right.” I watched faces during the power expressions. On the plat form and in the audience there was a sense of solitude. Pres. Boyd’s demeanor was that of a person plunged against his will into reflective solitude. The audi ence averted its gaze as arrests were made. No cheers, jeers or applause greeted the acts of es tablished authority. There was only uncertainty which generated solitude and vulnerability which gave way to toleration. The con fronters on the other hand enjoyed their own jocularity. It was strange. They played their game as if it were fun—even meaningful—but their laughter was hollow and their multitude of causes were obscured by the game. So it was last Saturday, at the modest event, that the solitude was intensified; the laughter was hoi tow; and the indictments never made clear. There is an aphorism which may speak in a variety of ways to Saturday's modest event: “Just persons have a thousand truths, and that is their tragedy; the murderer has only one and that is his strength.” Some questions remain: The multitude of issues are not made less important or urgent because of the deep indifference of the con fronted. What now of the issues? What will enable us to bridge the abyss and “accomplish the mis sion of the universities?" By what means will the humane and moral purposes of higher education be advanced? Advanced or retarded by whose use of which power sys tems? Douglas K. Huneke Presbyterian University Chaplain Campus Christian Ministry Coach chills I was appalled at the actions of an Oregon assistant basketball coach last weekend. Should a coach tell the fans to shut up and in failing to accomplish that call them a derogatory name. This situation occured during a time out in the second half of the Oregon State game. A number of fans were yelling a familiar term—Stuuuuuuu, when one coach stood up and while waving his arms yelled at the crowd to “shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, you I agree that it is the right of the Oregon coaching staff to deter mine which piayc.3 play, bat it is also the right of the fans to ex press their opinions. There are four games left of Oregon's home schedule and if it weren’t for the players, I would tear my student ticket in half. I suf fered through 15 hours of freezing and near-freezing weather to get a good seat for a great game, and yet I left the game with a chill throughout my body, just from the irresponsible actions of one coach. This is supposed to be a class organization. Let s see some of it from the coaches. Robert L. Mullins Journalism senior Never informed In regard to the defacing of the science library courtyard with the asinine slogan “science for the people, not for profit," I have but a few things to say. I would like to challenge those individuals re sponsible in a twofold manner: First there may be a time for de structive, violent criticisms of a society, but we are far from that point now. Science, more than any other field, can be effectively manipulated from within the sys tem. I ask you, how did you expect this immature, emotional reaction scrawled on the science library to affect the National Science Foundation s allotment of funds more acutely than if you had simply written your Congress man? I put forth that this act of defacement s sole purpose was to bring attention to the defacer, not to the content of the message. Second the choice of subjects in this message was poorly cho sen and displayed the ignorance of the party responsible. How can science be for profit7 Were the ad vances in genetics which allowed crop production to increase and hungry people to be fed for pro fit? The advances in polymeriza tion chemistry have allowed blind people to see, cripples to walk, heart valves to be repaired and arteries patched; damaged tracheas, larynxes and ureters and someday entire hearts to be replaced. Have these been for profit?" Through science, we come into contact everyday with material that protects us against heat and cold, electric shock and fire, rust and decay. Are these "for profit"? These vandals were not misinformed, they were never in formed. I grow weary of people who are radical for radicalism s sake. Peo ple who crusade for a cause, for the sake of crusading. The per sons responsible for this infantile act are so blind to what the real issues are, they don t belong within an institution of higher learning, but in a day care center. Tad L. Hetu Biology junior Put to use Concerning the recent de monstration at the inauguration of Pres. Boyd: Few jobs offer less rewards than the )ob of college president It seems to be a job where the only feedback is negative Pres Boyd was choosen by a committee of students and faculty. His past re cord was excellent, and the per formance he has turned in, in his recent tenure as president has shown a progressiveness and open mindness that is badly needed at the University What the United Front Against Boyd and the rest of the demon strators fail to realize, is Pres Boyd s job is not just to cater to a minute micro-minority, but to serve the University community both past and present. Many of the issues included in this recent outburst such as the increase in tuition could not be blamed on the president. In a time of spiraling in flation, the University had to raise tuition to offer the same quality of education that has been pre sented m the past It seemed that the demonstration was a useless waste of energy, and if the agitators were really interested in results instead of publicity, they would put their energy to construc tive use instead of littering an otherwise pretty campus with their garbage Bruce Rosenblum Accounting junior Barriers needed Recently I experienced a need less form of crowd control exhib ited by the athletic department I am referring to the Oregon-OSU basketball game Saturday night At 520 p.m., in anticipation of the doors opening, the line extend ing down the block (and another forming in the street) proceeded to surge forward, crushing those nearest to the entrance Subse quent swaying techniques fol lowed in an effort to further con dense the line. Once the doors opened this performance was re peated, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation A logical solution would be to construct removable steel bar riers extending from the doors out to a reasonable distance This would enable all the doors to bt used—without massive ticket taker attack and prohibit inconsid erate newcomers from trampling those who stood there all day Channeling the crowd in this manner would prevent serious in jury and redirect mob behavior to a more socially acceptable arena—the game itself. Cathy Teamen Psychology Thuraday, .January 29, 1976
