Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1978)
Today is the last day for students to add and drop courses without having the change recorded on transcripts. The registrar’s office is open from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Also, 5 p.m. is the deadline to file for ASUO President and EMU Board and SUAB positions in Suite 4, EMU. Vol. 79, No. 138 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Friday, April 21, 1978 Krugerrands Dealers say opposition doesn’t hurt even after three months of protest By KEVIN HARDEN Of the Emerald A demonstration to protest the continued sale of the South African Krugerrand in the Eugene area may be calling attention to the poltical issue facing that country, but it isn’t hurting local sales, two Oregon coin dealers say. The protest, sponsored by the People for Southern African Freedom (PSAF), is scheduled for Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., outside the Oakway Mall. The focus of the protest will be the mall’s Eugene Coin Gallery, which has been selling Krugerrands for several months. According to Gary Thomas, owner of the shop, Krugerrand sales have stayed steady through the months of nation-wide protests against the South African government’s apartheid policy. Local pro tests haven't turned many potential customers away, Thomas says. They may have even increased sup port for his shop and the coin. During the protests, Thomas says, support from passerbys are encouraging. ‘The only affect I see in all of these protests is that a lot of people stop by and give me the ’thumbs up’ sign to tell me to hang in there and keep selling the coin," Thomas says. "It’s like they're saying it’s a free country and let’s keep it that way. A similar protest by the PSAF last month brought more support for Thomas and his shop than ever before, he says. "The last time they picketed here, the next Mon day I didn't knowj had so many friends," he says. “People called and told me to keep selling the coin. It was really encouraging.” Although the protests seem to have little effect on Krugerrand sales in Eugene, demonstrations in Portland may be scaring both dealers and customers away, says Ted Slanker, owner of the T.E. Slanker Co. Slanker, whose company sells Kruggerrands along with stocks and bonds, says protests outside his company’s Portland office have caused him to fear for his life. "I’ve been told by both the FBI and the city police that these people are nothing to mess with,” Slanker says. Because of the protests, Slanker has an unlisted telephone number, doesn’t have mail delivered to his home and says he fears his family’s safety may be in jeopardy. The protestors. Slanker says, have a “warped view” of the real situation in South Africa, as do the city councils of Portland and Eugene, which both passed ordinances opposing the sale of Krugerrands in their cities. "These protestors really have no comprehen sion of what is going on in Southern Africa," he says. "They're just out there protesting because they think they're doing something good for the black man. "And the city councils, by just going along with these people, have put our lives in jeopardy." Sales of the coin through Slanker’s firm are boom ing, he says, because the dollar is declining on the European money market. While Slanker thinks the protestors are backed by "the Russians" in order to topple the anti communist South African regime, the demonstrators are to show people they are contributing to the apar theid system when they buy the Krugerrand, says Marion Barnes, spokesperson for the PSAF. Slanker, she says, is “full of baloney. Sure the Communists are against the regime in South Africa. But so are the Methodists and the Congregationalists and the World Council of Churches." The demonstrations may not be as effective as members of the PSAF would like, but they will con tinue, she says. "I don’t know how long it will take to affect his sales, but we want people to know what they are doing when they buy the Krugerrand," Barnes says. Bribe? ‘Political ploy’ causes candidate to enter battlefield in election race By MARY BETH ALLEN Of the Emerald Education, not politics, is Ruth McFarland's weapon in her fight for post of state superintendent of public instruction, but circumstances have forced her onto the political battlefield. Tuesday's Portland Oregonian reports that McFarland has filed a complaint with the Secretary of State s office, in which she alleges a member of her opponent’s campaign staff offered her a job in the Oregon Department of Education if she would with draw from the primary race. ‘The reason I filed a complaint is because it happened," says McFarland. ‘‘I have exercised my responsibility as a citizen” regarding the alleged job offer, which could constitute an infraction of an Oregon election law prohibiting use of "undue influ ence" to induce a candidate to withdraw. "I think the offer was a political ploy — on their part," quipped McFarland in response to her oppo nent, State Rep. Fred Heard. D-Klamath Falls, who claims the complaint is a "political ploy" by McFar land. The job offer was supposedly made by State Rep. Glen Otto, D-Troutdale. "It was he (Otto) who called the house." says McFarland. "I didn't seek him out. If I don't blow the whistle on these things, who does?" McFarland says of the occurence. “I do think it clouds some of the issues." But she feels "this points out some of the differences” between she and Heard. Explaining these differences, "I'm a teacher and I’m concerned with education." she says. "He (Heard) says his chief qualification is his political expertise." McFarland, who currently teaches at Mt. Hood Community College, has taught at the elementary, junior high and high school level. She also holds a PhD degree in genetics from the University as well as a University Master's degree in biology. Education is "where the action is — between the teacher and the student," McFarland says. Although she has had administrative experience, she feels her experience as a teacher makes her especially sensi tive to the state's educational problems and issues. "There are some things happening right now that need immediate attention." she says, citing the state high school competency tests as one neglected area. She feels competency tests should begin in the earliest grades and continue through secondary school to catch reading and computation problems as soon as possible. Most of these basic competencies should have been learned by the time they get to high school. (Continued on Page 3) Todd/ Nuclear power op ponent John Bartels and members of a Northwest Energy Panel have some differences of opinion over what course planning future energy policy should take. Two stories on Pages 6 and 7 fill in the details. Library experts and of ficials have chosen Eugene as the setting for debate on problems of library storage systems and facilities. Sev eral dignitaries speak on the space problems besetting this and other universities on Pages 8 and 9. Oregon’s men’s track team faces another tough opponent this weekend as San Jose invades Satur day. Meanwhile, the women head for several Northwest meets and the Duck baseball team faces OSU — rain permitting. See Pages 16 and 17. Life had always been somewhat predictable for Kinzua, Oregon citizens. Residents of this small Wheeler County town in Northeastern Oregon pretty much knew what to expect from each day — then the mill closed. Patrick Sullivan examines drastic changes that have taken place in Kinzua with a series of arti cles and photos on Pages 10 and 11.
