opinion
Watt's comment
the last straw
Oregon Senator Robert Packwood has joined with nine
other Republicans calling for the resignation of Interior
Secretary James Watt. While, at the same time, conservative
Republicans have closed ranks to defend Watt, urging him not
to resign.
How many times during Watt's tenure as Interior Secretary
have his actions divided the administration, members of the
Senate and the country?
Packwood, and the other Republican senators, rather than
acting as a partisan, is working in the best interests of the coun
try. Watt should be dismissed from his cabinet post —
immediately.
The last straw was Watt's comment in a speech to the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce last week, where he described a com
mission he had appointed to review his coal-leasing program as
having “every kind of mix you can have. I have a black, I have a
woman, two Jews and a cripple."
Watt should be driven from his cabinet post not just for this
remark, but for the other offensive remarks and callous actions
that have accumulated during Watt's tenure as Interior
Secretary.
The offensive comment is reminiscent of the ex-agriculture
secretary under former Pres. Gerald Ford Earl Butz', whose
“joke" about blacks told to John Dean, ex-presidential counsul
under ex-Pres. Richard Nixon, forced his resignation.
Assistant Senate majority leader Ted Stevens, R-Alaska,
typifies the conservative Republicans defending Watt. He says
Watt is “not a bigot. Jim Watt is a God-fearing man who is really
quite a Christian gentleman." Rallying to Watt's defense
because of his Christianity is an insult to Christians. If Watt is in
deed the “God-fearing" man Stevens says he is you'd think he'd
be capable of Christian charity toward the handicapped.
Watt's characterization of his commission "mix" according
to race, gender, religion and affirmity is consistent with the
shoot-from-the-hip mouth that has defined Watt's rather
dubious service as Interior Secretary.
Finally, Watt has proven as an Interior Secretary he is more
of a detriment to the Reagan administration and country in
general than an asset. But don't expect Pres. Ronald Reagan to
swiftly remove Watt. The fact that the whole senate is forced to
cast a vote calling for Watt's ouster shows Reagan’s reluctance
to act.
There's a real tendancy in this adminstration — and it must
stem from Reagan himself — to ignore the imcompetence and
glaring errors of their cabinet appointments. Reagan would
rather accept a “forced" resignation from a cabinet member
(which he's done frequently since taking office) than admit hav
ing appointed an incompetent.
Watt should be dismissed and not permitted to submit a
resignation. A resignation paints over the stain Watt has cast on
the post of Interior Secretary.
Happy birthday
Hu It Center
Belated birthday wishes to the Hult Center, Eugene's bounc
ing one year-old baby of a performing arts center.
About 2,500 people, dressed to the nines, joined entertainer
Pearl Bailey in a rousing "Happy Birthday" to the center on
Saturday night. However, most of us can sit back and remember
the memorable shows we've seen at the Hult Center to express
our best wishes.
The financial problems, the name of the center itself and
much criticized retreat taken by Hult management tarnished
this first year backstage. The financial problems will be resolved
and the public's ire over the center's name will be forgotten in
time. And the Hult Center will continue to be a place all Eugene
can come for an evening's quality entertainment.
Happy Birthday, Hult Center.
The Emerald
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letters
Don't confuse
I thought this bit of information
might interest some of the leftist
don 't-confuse-me-with-the-f acts
crowd on this campus who love to
label anybody to the right of Jane
Fonda as a fascist warmonger yet
tell us that the Soviets are bascial
ly trustworthy guys.
According to one of your own
type of publications "People's
World" (July 23, 1983) the Polish
trade union Solidarity (the largest
work force working for7
democracy in Eastern Europe) has
"given its open support for the in
stallation of Pershing II and cruise
missiles in Western Europe."
While relatively small, yet well
organized "peace" groups in
Western Europe oppose practical
ly everything NATO does (while
ignoring Soviet buildups)
Solidarity's leaders have stated:
"The Pershing II missiles have
substantially greater deterrence
than the older missiles."
Solidarity also said the Western
Europeans "peace" groups were
"in the hands of Moscow" and
"works for the USSR "
It's interesting that people
who've experienced Soviet impos
ed totalitarianism are willing to
have missiles aimed at them
rather than allow the Soviets to
become so superior in military
strength that they could have the
ability to further their objectives
worldwide without obstructions.
Michael Cross
senior, political science
Not 'caring'
Less than three weeks ago, more
than 45 registered nurses and ad
ditional auxiliary personnel at
Sacred Heart General Hospital
were laid off. These people were
given less than four days notice of
their impending job losses.
Some of the people affected by
the layoff are single parents, or are
the sole income providers for
their families. This sudden, unex
pected loss of income has proven
to be, in many cases, a traumatic
blow to the economic stability and
welfare of these taxpayers and
their families.
In our society it is a common ex
pectation and courtesy between
management and employees to
provide a reasonable notice —
usually two weeks — when there
will be either a layoff or termina
tion on the part of either respec
tive party. Such notice provides an
opportunity for those affected
people to make other ar
rangements. For laid-off
employees this might include ten
ding to such matters as finding a
way to put food on the table, a
roof overhead, etc., when employ
ment ends.
Sacred Heart General Hospital
advertises itself as a "caring” in
stitution. It has been my ex
perience as a long term employee
at Sacred Heart that the nursing
staff and auxiliary personnel do
provide excellent health care to
the people of Eugene. One cannot
help but wonder, however, the ex
tent to which Sacred Heart
management cares for its own
employees when it employs such
outmoded practices as telling
employees: "In four days, or less,
you are out of a job."
It seems very clear that in a "car
ing" institution such as Sacred
Heart, nurses can depend on fair
and reasonable treatment by
management, only to the extent
that their union (The Oregon
Nurses Association) bargains for
and sets down specific guarantees
in a written contract with hospital
management and then insists the
contract be honored.
Ellen Manchester
RN, Eugene
Gripes
I wish to share some remarks
and gripes I heard about the tax
levies for the Sept. 20 election.
The state and city police are do
ing an excellent job. Crime has
been reduced seven percent in
the past few months without the
Sheriff's patrol. Leave the patrol
cars in limbo, it will save a bundle
for the taxpayers. Why have
overlapping law enforcement?
(Double taxation.)
Too much money is squandered
on repeated elections. County
government refuses to recognize
the meaning of the word "no".
Sheriff Burks has the un
mitigated gall to sue the commis
sioners. if there are state man
dated services, allow the state to
do the litigating.
Two compassionate commis
sioners voted against putting a
proposed levy of the second time.
(Too many foreclosures of homes,
too many out of work.)
Why do we have to tote books
to the public libraries when they
have access to state, city and
school libraries — plus radio, TV,
etc.?
Commissioners have found
$4500 to enhance each of their
salaries.
So called fringe benefits are ex
orbitant. Of Lane County
employees one-third of their
salary is classified as a fringe
benefit. This amount is added to
the salary.
They also found $449.55 for a
junket trip July 17 to Milwaukee,
Wis.. This $449.55 was spent for
three nights lodging for three peo
ple (not including air fare, meals,
etc.). Nice vacation. One person
could have done the job with a
tape recorder, if the trip necessary
— which is questionable.
Last gripe, but not least.
Outrageous salaries of the
administrators.
Mary Hickey
Eugene
emerald
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