Editorial
OSPIRG report
stresses toy safety
Ijjst week the Oregon State Public Interest Research
Group released a report listing 12 toys currently on the
market that present a danger to small children. During tin*
Christmas season, this study places special emphasis on
caution and supervision in selecting gifts for children.
OSPIRG examined toys found in stores around Portland.
Eugene. Springfield and Corvallis and tested them for chok
ing hazards Choking is a particular danger for children less
than the age of three.
By using a "choke-test tube," a cylinder 1.25 inches in
diameter representing the approximate size of a t-year old's
throat. OSPIRG found many toys have small parts that can be
broken off and swallowed.
According to federal regulations, any toy labeled for
children three years or younger should not have parts that fit
into the cylinder. However, OSPIRG found three toys label
ed for the three year or younger ago range containing small
objects or parts that could break apart easily.
OSPIRG also found toys with sharp objects or pieces
These pieces present a danger to children who could cut
themselves or poke out an eye.
From these findings, the group emphasized the need for
better age labeling. Most toys do not have a suggested age.
but nonetheless are dangerous to small children w ho tend to
put things in their mouths.
One problem that must lx* overcome is that ot federal
funding. The Consumer Product Safety Commission,
created in 1972, began with IB regional offices nationwide.
Because of lack of funding, there are only five offices now
and only one full-time staff member for Oregon.
On the local level, the state Legislature has not funded a
safety enforcement program in 10 years. This leaves safety
enforcement and warnings up to individual groups and
parents.
Ideally, money should be allocated to tin* safety com
mission and stricter laws and enforcement avenues should
be implemented in Oregon. OSPIRG recommended requir
ing toys to be age labeled and that the dimensions of the
‘‘choke-test tube" should be increased. However, this isn’t a
realistic assessment of what may happen.
While stricter regulations may be established for
children's toys, attaining funding for enforcement groups is
difficult. Toy-related deaths are increasing in 1983 there
were 18 deaths compared with 22 in 1985 and 3f> in 19BB.
But sad as it may seem, toy safety is not a major priority in
government spending.
Reports such as OSPIRG's on dangerous toys are
beneficial and parents of small children should take heed
before buying toys for their toddlers. Ultimately it is the
parent's responsibility to examine a new toy before the child
plays with it and supervise the first time the child does play
with the toy.
Parents must he willing to take the time to examine the
toy and explain the potential dangers of sharp objects to
their children. With care and supervision, children can safe
ly enjoy their Christmas toys.
1
-AND WITH EIGHT
PRECINCTS REPORTING,
THE TOTALS STAND AT
TWENTY-TWO DEAD AND
SIXTY WOUNDED...
Letters
Not a bad place
This is in response to the let
ter written by Daniel Monk
kowalskv (Replace Olum. Nov
23).
First, if President Olum is
responsible for the hiring of
faculty, the faculty certainly
must be qualified. If they've
developed personal problems
such as tardiness or a drinking
problem as Kowalsky stated,
how is this President Olum's
fault? When you buy milk how
do you know it's not sour?
Secondly, check any college
bookstore and basically they're
all the same. I’ve been to a
number of colleges and 1 per
sonally think the University's
bookstore is one of the finest.
Thirdly, as for the use of
University funds to rent hotel
rooms for the entire football
team during home games, this
is untrue. The Athletic Depart
ment, which gets its money
from gate receipts from home
games, pays for the hotel rooms.
The entire football team does
not stay in the hotel, only its
first and second teams do. That
is about half of the "entire foot
ball team." There are many
meetings that the players need
to attend on the eve of these
Oregon Daily
Emerald
P <> H«>\ MW. F uitrnc. Otrgnn *148'
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games, plus coaches don’t have
to worry about players being up
too late The players have bed
check at 11:30 p.m., and the
players don't have to worry
about oversleeping.
Finally, if Kowalsky can’t
handle the increased enroll
ment and the chance to meet
and work with a wide variety of
people with different
backgrounds and nationalities,
then it appears that it is he, and
not the student body, who is
anti-intellectual.
If kowalsky doesn't like this
campus and the job that Presi
dent Olum has been doing, why
then is he still attending the
University? It must not be such
a had place after all.
)eff Whitman
Student
Merge teams
In the interest of maintaining
a decent level of football in the
state of Oregon, we have a
modest proposal.
Oregon State has a pathetic
football team; the University of
Oregon has a mediocre one. If
the two were to be combined,
perhaps we could field a team
that might possibly attain
respectibility in the Pacific-9
Conference. Despite the history
of ill-feelings between the two
schools, it is time to let bygones
be bygones and join forces
Advantages of a merger
would include;
• Less financial drain on both
schools (therefore, more money
would tie available tor items
such as graduation costs and
suites of office furniture for our
vice presidents);
• A large savings in equip
ment, maintenance and training
costs;
• Statewide support for a
single team;
• A more efficient recruiting
program in the state.
Games could be played in
each stadium on alternate home
dates, or a new stadium could
tie constructed between the two
schools at a neutral site, say
Peoria or Junction City.
Of course, the team colors
would have to change to reflect
this unification. We suggest
brown and grey to symbolize
the everpresent inucl and fog of
our beloved state.
Also, after much thought, we
have solved the dilemma of
choosing an appropriate
mascot. What better way to
combine the features of the
duck and the beaver than to use
as our mascot The Hlatvpus.
This noble creature will surely
strike terror into the hearts of
our opponents.
Please consider our proposal.
Speed is of the essence — we
hope to avoid another dismul
season and prevent both teams
from dropping to Division IV
BB status As any Civil War buff
knows, "a state football pro
gram divided against itself can
not stand."
Tori Bru/.ese
Hob Harmon
Tom I.uster
Scarlet letter
Normally 1 wouldn't bother,
but 1 feel that someone has to
take exception to what really is
a remarkably uninformed
editorial ("Scarlet letter warn
ing a sign of the times," ODE,
Nov. 17).
Richard Bateman has been
convicted of offenses which
make him a threat to young
children — the members of
society least able to defend
themselves against him. If a
prison sentence will be so brief
as to serve no purpose, and if he
refuses other forms of treatment
— as he has done and
something the writer of the
editorial was evidently not
aware of — one can hardly
blame )udge Baker or society at
large for finding another way to
try and put a stop to his com
pletely unacceptable behavior.
Richard Bateman was given
two admittedly unpleasant, but
nevertheless distinct choices —
treatment or "the scarlet letter”
— and 1 do not think it is reac
tionary to suggest that he is
responsible for all the conse
quences of the actions for which
he alone also is responsible.
Michael E. Stamm
Graduate secretary, English