I
Agriculture head
on food stamps?
It’s usually amusing when government bureaucrats
try to live within the rules and regulations of programs
they head. Sometimes the bureaucrats find out the pro
grams don’t even come close to the needs of Americans.
That’s why it will be interesting to keep close tabs on
Agriculture Secretary John Block and his family as the
Blocks test menus recommended for 22 million
Americans who live on food stamps. The Blocks will sus
tain themselves for one experimental week on $58 worth
of food stamps. It certainly must be a hardship.
Amid a flurry of television cameras, photographers
and reporters the Blocks went shopping at a suburban
Maryland supermarket. The surrounding media recorded
their every purchase — chicken on special, regular ham
burger, beef liver, peanut butter, white bread and noodles.
The final tally for a week’s worth of groceries was
$54.14 in food stamps.
Some cynical media-folks noticed that Block was in a
quandary buying a few of the food items. Block bought
cornflakes — saying he “had to buy them” because he
produces corn on his farm in Illinois. The Blocks also
bought low-fat milk and non-fat dry milk. The government,
under the Agriculture department’s dairy price supports
program, has accumulated vast stores of surplus dairy
products. In fact, the government even gave out tons of
surplus cheese rather than let it mold in a dank
warehouse.
Block had his biggest dilemma at the margarine
counter. It seems the government is trying to dispose of
its (also) vast holdings of surplus butter. But, Block
resolved the problem in his own mind by buying
margarine which is made from soybeans. He produces
soybeans on his Illinois farm as well.
We’re not really amused by the Block’s week on food
stamps. Block’s arrogance is deplorable. He is making a
mockery of the problems of 22 million Americans who
must survive on food stamps. Block, with his high-paying
post as secretary of Agriculture, is being a dilettante
regardlffg the pligh'foTthe nation’s poor. After the week of
peaflut butter and 6&e? liver Block will announce that a
family of four can live quite substantially on $58 a week in
food stamps. Then, the Blocks will probably dine out and
spend triple that amount on one meal.
opinion
Craft lawsuit
shames the news
The Christine Craft $1.2 million sex discrimination
suit against Metromedia points out the embarrassing
state of equal rights and the more embarrassing state of
broadcast journalism.
The Craft lawsi!it stands on a number of legitimate
points, namely equal pay for equal work and equal treat
ment in the workplace. Craft had neither at KMBC-TV in
Kansas City, Mo.
Craft was hired to co-anchor the weekday news and
was paid more than $30,000 a year. The money sounds
substantial, yet the male co-anchor who did essentially
the same job was paid more than $50,000 a year.
The embarrassing aspect of the Craft lawsuit is the
one showing broadcast journalism’s passion for enter
tainment rather than journalism.
Too many program directors dress up news-readers
in cosmetics and flashy clothing to attract viewers and in
crease ratings. Craft says she was heavily made-up and
given a daily clothing schedule. Only twice was the male
co-anchor criticized for appearance — he was told not to
wear a type of shirt because it did not photograph well.
What is more startling than embarrassing about the
Craft lawsuit is that she was demoted from anchoring the
news because a media research consultant said viewers
did not get a warm feeling from her. A warm feeling from a
news reader? Unfortunately, this is strong criteria for
many television stations to hire women journalists.
Still, there’s something eerie about the unctuous
warmth of a cosmetically made-over news reader smiling
into the camera and then hear It say: "Good evening. A
five-alarm fire raced through a downtown senior citizens'
hotel and killed...
It'a also eerie that an industry priding itself as a
watchdog barking angrily over any instance of discrimina
tion appears equally as guilty. It makes one wonder how
rampant Is discrimination in broadcast — and print —
Journalism,
letters
Fast for Life
On August 6, 1983, the 38th
anniversary of the dropping of
the first atomic bomb on
human beings, nine persons
will begin a fast. They are
citizens of France, West Ger
many, England, Japan and the
United States. Each in their
own country is a leader in the
search for peace.
This is no ordinary fast.
These persons have determin
ed, if necessary, to lay down
their lives in order that the
world may be led to draw back
from the brink of nuclear
catastrophe. Theirs is a Fast
for Life. They have determined
to continue without food until
some signifcant step is taken
toward ending the arms race.
For our part, we have deter
mined to do all in our power to
see that their lives are not lost,
and to see that this opportuni
ty to take a step for peace is
not missed. This is why we
write to you.
We believe that the most im
mediate danger to nuclear war
arises from the European
missile crisis. We also believe
that the crisis offers what may
be our last opportunity to avert
catastrophe and move toward
real disarmament. If ever, one
nation scheduled to deploy
Pershing It or Cruise missiles
were to cancel or delay deploy
ment, or if the USSR were to
announce the dismantling of a
signifcant number of SS-20's,
the drift to destruction would
be arrested, and the impetus
to arms reduction would gain
momentum. Such a step
would also lead, in our judge
ment, to a decision to end the
Fast for Life
The power to save nine
lives, and yes, to perhaps save
the world from disaster, lies in
your hands. Your personal call
for a delay in deployment, or
dismantling can tip the scales
toward peace. We urge you to
call for and support such a
delay
You may reply that nine
lives are not important enough
to sway national security
policy. We reply that the
Fasters symbolize humanity. If
we and you stand by while
they die, it is a pale reflection
of our abdication of respon
sibility as the world drifts
toward the final disaster.
We urge you to take a step
now such as we have sug
gested. We further urge you to
write the Fasters directly, ex
pressing your concern both
for their welfare and for world
peace. In a real sense their
lives are in your hands.
Bayard McConnaughay
biology
Neglected
This letter is in response to
two articles in the Eugene
Register-Guard, one on July 9,
the other on July 15. Both deal
with an issue I feel has been
sadly neglected. This issue is
the current condition of the
University’s main library. The
July 9 article outlined four pro
jects that have been approved
for eventual construction,
none of which included any
financing for re vitalizing the
University’s fastly
deteriorating library. Ironic,
since the library is the epitome
of the educational integrity of
any quality University.
Although some of these pro
jects are to be funded by
private means, one is not. This
project is a proposed $1.7
million worth of improvements
to the ballroom of the Erb
Memorial Union. It will be
financed through the $12.50
building fee that each student
pays each quarter This fact
both shocked and amazed me.
As a concerned student at the
University, I find that such a
decision shows a very serious
lack of priority. A simple
review of the facts will point
this out.
First, the main purpose of a
University is to create an en
vironment of learning. The
ballroom funds, on the other
hand, are slated for improve
ment in lighting, seating,
sound system, and other such
refurbishments — all of which
hardly contribute to an at
mosphere of intellectual
enlightment.
Second, an up-to-date
library attracts more students,
provides more information and
resources, and therefore
enables students to produce
high caliber work and realize
their fullest potential.
Third, everyone benefits
from a good library — both
students and non-students
alike. A good library allows
those who are not students or
those who cannot afford a
university education to further
their learning personally.
These people therefore im
prove themselves and in the
end contribute more to society
— especially in a time when
the quality of America's
education has come under a
veil of increasing doubt.
Fourth, as a testimony to
the serious extent this pro
blem has grown to, the July 15
article reported that, beginn
ing Sept. 1, the University
library will have to resort to a
$25 annual fee charged to all
of its town patrons. Sadly, this
fee will eliminate "30-50 per
cent” of those non-students
who currently take advantage
of this town’s greatest asset.
Ironically, in an effort to ease
financial strains and keep its
resources available to
everyone, the library will in
evitably reduce the number of
people they are trying to serve.
Finally, as a personal note, I
have found that of all of the
debates, dances, dinners,
movies and other occasions
that I have attended at the
EMU ballroom over my 31/2
years at the University, not
one of those experiences was
marred or the occasion
seriously handicapped by the
facility's current condition.
James Givens
senior, architecture
r
(>reg< m c/Oriy - _
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