Editorial
Tower Commission
fingers key players
The Tower Commission report released Thursday
chronicles a string of presidential aide cover-ups and
various governmental improprieties concerning the full
story of the Reagan administration's arms-to-Iran deal.
While most of the report’s revelations come as no surprise,
other aspects of the whole sordid “Iran-scam" affair have
come to light, which does little to help Reagan regain lost
ground.
The commission found that it was probable Lt. Col.
Oliver North, a dismissed National Security Council aide,
did destroy pertinent evidence; that former National Securi
ty Adviser Robert McFarlane did offer inaccurate accounts of
events and the president’s involvement in the scandal; and
that William Casey, former director of Central Intelligence,
did know about diverted aid going to the Nicaraguan Con
tras almost a month before the story was released but failed
to notify the president.
The report also criticized John Poindexter, another
former National Security Advisor, saying he played a role in
regard to missing documents—the first time this charge has
been leveled against him. He was the NSC’s official note
taker during numerous key council meetings, and apparent
ly many of the notes from these meetings are missing.
Donald Regan, White House chief of staff, also was
criticized in the commission's report. He has been accused
of issuing a false series of events to the media and govern
ment inquiry boards in an effort to shield the president.
Regan has maintained that the president did not know about
the first shipment of arms to the Iranians. This contradicts
McFarlane’s testimony that the president knew before the
arms were sent.
At the risk of sounding obvious, all of this does not
reflect well on the president. People close to Reagan had
urged the president to keep a low profile until the commis
sion’s report came out. It was their hope the report would
clear the president of any wrongdoing and distance him
from those who had.
Unfortunately for the president, the release of the Tower
report will serve to heighten his "Iran-scam” woes. North
and Poindexter may have acted illegally in several instances
and could face criminal proceedings. Regan, from all indica
tions, soon will resign—adding to a list of dozens who have
resigned from Reagan's adminstration. The inevitable ex
odus of Regan will be hailed by many who wish him gone.
Hut even with a new chief of staff, it is unlikely the ad
ministration will be able to regain the vigor it had before the
arms-to-lran story broke.
Regardless of what the president does in the near
future—be it continue to keep a lowprofile or step back into
the limelight—he is destined to spend the remainder of his
term attempting to live down the biggest foreign policy
blunder of his presidency. No “Great Communicator”
speech will heal the wound this scandal has made in his ad
ministration. and no wave of his magic wand will bring back
his teflon coating.
r
*gur'£sass
Letters
Equal pay
We have been fighting for ap
proximately five years to
achieve pay equity in the state
of Oregon; we are now very
close to that goal.
SB28H which will come
before the state Legislature very
shortly, will release the money
for funding the raises to bring
the underpaid classifications up
to parity.
It is a shame that a full-time
state worker is paid so little that
they qualify for state assistance.
That is why it is so important
that we let our legislators know
we support SB28B. We urge
everyone to write or telephone
their legislator and let him or her
know you support SB288. and
how vital you think it is for
them to pass this bill.
OPEIJ Clerical Committee
University of Oregon
Your senate
Your Feb. 18 article on the
Student Senate brushes over
one of the most striking im
provements in the Senate this
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year — our assertiveness in
pushing student issues into
University policy.
T his assertiveness is
demonstrated by our victory in
extending the drop deadline
from 10 to 15 days after classes
begin — an issue for which the
students demonstrated their
overwhelming support in last
spring’s elections.
Now we have introduced a
motion to the University Senate
to revoke the Athletic Depart
ment’s drug testing policy and
replace it with an effective
educational and counseling
program. We think that bv do
ing so the Athletic Department
can more effectively prevent
drug abuse by athletes, without
subjecting the student-athletes
to the invasion of privacy that
now occurs.
This kind of student em
powerment is a cornerstone of
the philosophy which put
Students for a Progressive
Agenda (SPA) candidates in of
fice last spring, and it is the
philosophy under which we
have operated this year.
Dan Thoma
Student Senator
Fair trial
Both supporters and detrac
tors seem determined to try
Silas Bissell in the press. He has
been described as a soft-spoken
gentleman by friends and com
pared to Hitler by the ubi
quitous Dan Goulet.
Activists in Eugene seem to
have an odd perspective on
“civil disobedience.” Civil
disobedience involves an activi
ty known to be illegal with full
acceptance of the conse
quences. To perform such an act
and then complain about being
caught reduces it from a social
statement to a delinquent
prank.
On the other hand. Mr.
Bissell has currently only been
accused of a crime, not con
victed. The law of the land in
this country is “innocent until
proven guilty” (something Mr.
Goulet seems to have missed in
his political science
studies. ..).
Silas Bissell deserves neither
more nor less than a fair trial on
the charges against him. If he is
found guilty, it is for a judge
and jury to consider the ex
emplary life he has led since the
time of the alleged crime, and
decide whether this is sufficient
atonement for any alleged
damages.
Hiawatha
Graduate, music
Competent
1 realize Willy Bils and the
Emerald editorial writers are
charging the ASUO with
mismanaging the student in
surance program. This judg
ment is based primarily on a
number of students not receiv
ing their one dollar or so in
terest payment.
I administered a workers’
compensation program of two
years and also sat on the board
of directors of a nationally
known health insurance com
pany. I have no illusions about
how easy it is to administer an
insurance program.
I am also recovering from a
back operation. The bills, so far,
amount to $5,800. I am covered
by the ASUO/Kevstone in
surance plan. It has been my
pleasure to deal with the ASUO
insurance administrator,
Shirley Chase, during this time.
She has been friendly, suppor
tive and thoroughly
professional.
1 suspect Bils’ motives con
cerning this issue. 1
wholeheartedly recommend the
ASUO insurance plan to any
student at the University.
Roscoe Caron
Education