Editorial
Industry shouldn't
be knocking on wood
Excuse the pun, but the local timber industry's reaction
to the U.S. Forest Service’s management plan for the
Willamette National Forest is clearly a case of “not being
able to see the woods for the trees."
In a press conference Tuesday, the Willamette Forestry
Council (WFC), a board created by logging and timber com
panies that use the Willamette National Forest, challenged
the Forest Service proposal to limit the annual harvest to 568
million board feet. The WFC would prefer a harvest level of
730 to 740 million board feet.
This level of harvesting poses a threat to the continuing
usage of the National Forest and endangers the timber in
dustry's future as well. Quite simply, the industry is cutting
down the trees faster than they grow back
The WFC’s recommendation is based on fiscal year
1987’s harvest, w'hich was a banner year for the timber in
dustry. Rising demand for Oregon lumber from overseas and
a Congressional nod to increase timber harvests led to a
substantial increase in the volume of trees cut.
This banner year should not become the standard for
future harvests, however, because the Willamette National
Forest is already seriously over-cut. For the last 25 years,
Congress has approved a timber harvest in excess of what
the U.S. Forest Service recommends.
In the past, many timber companies have been careless
about over-cutting on thur own corporate forest land. For
example, Weyerhauser has cut its operations in Coos Bay by
almost half because of a depleted wood stock. I his
recklessness in national forest lands, intended for the use of
all, would be even more unfortunate.
Given the economic uncertainties facing the timber in
dustry, the Forest Service’s conservative proposal seems
more reasonable. Mousing starts are wavering, and while
Pacific Kim countries are currently demanding a large
volume of Oregon wood, local mills — such as the one at
Philomath — are being shut down for lack of demand.
It's tax time for Bonzo:
Earn more> give less back
The filing deadline for 1987 income taxes is two days
away, and many citizens across the country will be enjoying
the benefits of tax reform. Two such people are President
Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy. They made more
money last year than in 1986 and returned less in taxes.
Despite this good fortune, the Reagans contributed
almost $5,000 less to charities than they did the year before.
And while the Reugans are certainly not required by law to
donate any of their earnings to worthy causes, it certainly
goes against what “trickle-down economics" should ac
complish — giving tax breaks to the wealthy for the benefit
of the poor.
Through the President’s salary, various royalties and a
trust fund, the Reagans earned $345,359 last year, which
was $8,719 more than they earned in 1980. Their tax liabilty
was $80,638, which was $5,822 less than what the bill came
to before the reform.
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■s^ST
Letters
Make me laugh
I glance through and read the
Emerald most every day. Unfor
tunately. I can't find the time to
read everything, so instead. I
am selective and read the most
important articles or sections —
i.e., the Far Side, the personals
and. most importantly, the let
ters to the editor. As you can
probably guess. 1 obviously read
the Emerald for the entertain
ment and humor aspects.
Lately though, I have noticed
that someone has been missing
in the Emerald. That someone
whom I speak of is our beloved
and favorite columnist Hlake L.
SI iter. For those who are not
familiar with Blake, he is a very
witty and humorous writer who
submits entertaining letters to
the editor. These letters contain
the finest satire and
demonstrate the rarest skill of
all. the skill and fine art of
heckling.
My point is. do we really
want to read any more depress
ing and boring letters address
ing the ASUO. Gay And Lesbian
Alliance, Incidental Fee Com
mittee or any other trivial topics
such as those? We would rather
read enlightening, humorous
and not-so-serious letters
directed toward sex, "beer
sluts," dogs going through their
spring ritual in public, and the
oldie but goodie, the Greek
system.
P.O. Box 3159, Kuiirnr. Orrfon 97403
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Kelly Williams
So. Mr. Sliter, please take this
letter to heart, do some rethink
ing and come out of hiding. We
need some entertaining letters
at which we can laugh. Please
write more to the Emerald and
heckle anyone and everyone.
What fun would life be if we
couldn't laugh at ourselves?
Mark W. Olenich
Special education
Greek support
! would like to respond to Ron
Munion’s recent statement that
the Greek Endorsement Com
mittee is trying to change its im
age by "throwing out many of
their (sic) beliefs and values that
they’ve had for years" and "the
endorsement of an SPA slate
(Gaffney/Hoyt) will lie rejected
by the Greek community"
(ODE. April 7).
As a member of the Greek En
dorsement Committee in 1985
and in 1986. 1 cite the past
record of the committee to
assert that Munion's presump
tions are entirely false. In 1985
the committee endorsed the
SPA-backed presidential ticket
of Lynn Pinckney and John
Dreeszen. In 1986 the Greek En
dorsement Committee endorsed
another SPA-supported ticket
— Steve Nelson and Caitlin
Cameron. Both years, with the
support of the Greek communi
ty. these candidates won their
elections.
The Greek Endorsement Com
mittee has a clear track record of
supporting candidates from all
University political parties in
the sincere attempt to choose
those candidates who will best
serve the student body as a
whole.
Laura Simic
Eugene
Yes on OSPIRG
On April 19 and 20 students
will have the chance to vote for
or against the continued fund
ing of the Oregon Student
Public Interest Research Group
(OSPIRG). 1 encourage everyone
to vote yes on ballot measure 81
for a number of reasons.
OSPIRG is extremely educa
tional, for those students who
work for OSPIRG and for the
student body at large. Students
involved with OSPIRG learn
communication skills,
organizational skills and leader
ship skills. In addition, these
students learn, in practical and
real-life situations, how public
policy is formed and, more im
portantly, how to have an im
pact on public policies.
This type of training is in
valuable if we. as students, are
to fulfill our responsibility to be
functional and effective
citizens.
Students not actively involv
ed benefit through the many
forums, speakers, workshops
and meetings (always open to
all) which OSPIRG conducts.
These range in topic from
hunger relief to toxics to recyc
ling to renter rights.
OSPIRG is effective. Last term
OSPIRG groups did some ex
cellent work, including: the col
lection of 2,700 pounds of can
ned food to feed Lane County’s
hungry, the recall of two
dangerous toys due to OSPIRG’s
toy safety report, the registra
tion of over 700 voters by
OSPIRG and the ASUO. and a
meeting with the governor to
present him with 23,000 citizen
statements expressing concern
for toxic waste.
keep a good thing going, vote
yes for OSPIRG.
)eff Heiman
Rhetoric and Communication
Letters Policy
The Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing
comments on topics of interest to the University community.
Comments must be factually accurate and refrain from per
sonal attacks on the character of others.
Letters to the editor must be limited to no more than 250
words, legible, signed and the identification of the writer
must be verified when the letter is submitted.