-Editorial
Weapons stock taints
superpowers in Paris
The complete elimination of chemical weapons trom
the planet is a lofty goal — perhaps a goal that most of us
will never see in our lifetime — but following the past
week's developments at an international conference on
chemical weapons adds some light to the dark clouds.
The objective of the conference was to reaffirm the 1925
Geneva Protocol banning chemical weapons, breathing new
life into negotiations asking for a total ban on development,
use. production and stockpiling of chemical weapons.
Fortunately, the 149 nations represented at the confer
ence pledged not to use chemical weapons and to work to
eliminate them.
U S. officials, in fact, had hoped that the conference
would give impetus to a new treaty being negotiated in Ge
neva concerning a similar worldwide ban on chemical
weapons. U.S. President-elect George Hush himself offered
the U.S. draft of this treaty when negotiations on the chemi
cal weapons began in Geneva in 1984.
But for all of Bush's apparent hard work to draft such a
treaty — in a recent speech referring to the proliferation of
chemical weapons, he said one of his highest priorities as
president would be "to deal with this terrible scourge" — it
was he who cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to re
sume production of chemical weapons two years ago.
Using typical "Red-scare" mentality, he was swayed by
the Senate’s argument that the United States needed a reli
able chemical weapon stockpile to use as bargaining chips
with the Soviets.
It is precisely this mentality that hinders any agreement
among nations or a thorough ban on chemical weapons.
While a superpower agreement on a chemical weapon
ban might serve as an example to other nations, it is only
part of the battle. Controls on the export of technology and
materials that other nations use to establish their own chem
ical weapons facilities are needed.
This issue brought heated debate to the five days of
bickering at last week's Paris conference. Many participants
believed they shouldn’t be expected to limit their chemical
weapon use as long as the superpowers retain their stock
piles.
Many participants also said that their chemical weapons
are their only deterrent to the nations with nuclear weap
ons. Charges of hypocrisy were aimed at the Soviet Union,
for using chemical weapons in its war against Afghanistan,
and at the United States for dropping the poisonous weap
ons on Vietnam.
But not all hope is lost in the battle to ban chemical
weapons.
In fact, the Soviet Union made the largest leap at the
convention. It has announced that it will begin disposing of
its chemical weapons stockpile — a declaration by a super
power not offered by another.
The U. S. representatives, however, downplayed the
significance of the Soviet Union's declaration, claiming the
Soviet stockpile is full of obsolete weapons and therefore
would lose nothing by disposing of it. The United States is
already disposing of its outdated chemical weapons.
Maybe the proliferation of chemical weapons can be
prevented by this agreement among nations to limit or elim
inate the supply. But the transfer of technology and materi
als also must cease for the ban to work, as West Germany's
apparent role in selling Libya parts and materials for a
chemical factory makes glaringly clear.
The horror of the effects of chemical warfare on its vic
tims is paled only by the horrible reality that nations remain
poised and willing to use it.
P.O. Boa list. On«oo *T4U
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Letters.
No attempt
I expect that lli*‘ designers of
next year's si hoot phone IwHik
will heed your editorial (ODE.
Dec. 7) and int lode blacks, his
panics and orientals on the cov
er.
Hut I hope that they will, in
stead, selei t a cover photo
graph by whatever criteria they
have used in past years, not
making any racial distinctions.
Racial prejudice will lie de
feated only when people stop
discriminating by race, wheth
er or not they have done it for
humanitarian masons. A con
cern for the welfare of all races
is admirable, but it can be
served only by treating them
equally — which is to say.
without distinction
A concern for the image of
the University is also justifi
able, but the University can
best prove themselves to be im
partial about race if they never
consider it. in this case making
no attempt to include specific
racial groups on the cover of
next year's phone book.
John Shenon
Student
We notice!
In response to Dean A. How
ard’s letter (ODE, |an if) attack
ing the Emerald's editorial
"Symbols on Directory a Sim
Editor
Managing Editor
New* Editor
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Special Issues Editor
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Avon Knox
Kelvin Wee
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Associate Editor*
Community
Higher Educ»tion/Administration
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Betsy Clayton
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Rcportm: Kevin Allen. Christopher Blair, Brian Bloch.
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Photographers: Shertyn Biorkgren. Andy Cnpe. Bill
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dre Ranlerl. Janet Schober. Ted Shepler. Scott Smith. In
grid White, Kelly Williams
pit* 'Whitewash' " — the editor
obviously touched a sensitive
nerve.
I doubt that the publishing
company is a group of white
racists. I do think, however,
that very often individuals and
groups in the majority are sim
ply unaware of such acts of
omission and selectivity.
Mr. Howard's accusation that
the Kinerald has a "narrow
minded perception of a perfect
ly innocent situation" shows
his own narrow perception.
People of color are subjected to
these "innocent" oversights
every day. We notice!
hdwin I., Coleman II
Director of Ethnic Studies
Latex gloves
Evidently. Jon Wollander is
not aware that homosexuals are
likely not the only ones engag
ing in the sexual behaviors he
so vividly describes. Who
knows what dastardly things
people do behind closed doors?
Certainly when a pair, or more,
of adults get together for sexual
activity, they are limited only
by their imaginations as to the
techniques they can devise.
Unfortunately. Jon and those
who share his views won’t
bother to educate themselves
about the facts that are known
regarding AIDS and other
STDs. The truth would fly in
the face of their ignorant and
vitriolic opinions.
I suggest that Jon stock up on
latex gloves, chlorine bleach,
and above all. avoid person-to
person contact.
Kristen Smoot
Eugene
Unfair fee
In the course catalog it states
student I.D. cards and valida
tion stickers allow students to
use certain services: Library.
LTD bus service, physical edu
cation facilities, admittance to
athletic contests, etc. ... due to
the payment of an incidental
fee of $21.25.
I noticed the same $21.25 fee
is assessed to students in th,.
community education program,
even though the services avail
able are hardly plausible.
! inquired as to what services
are offered? "Library, and
physical education facilities
(only if you are enrolled in a
P.E. course), and daycare at re
duced priority." was the re
sponse.
No mention of Student
Health Center, no mention of
being included as students in
attendance to athletic events,
no mention in LTD bus service,
whose cost to ride "free" was
included in incidental fees, and
no mention of access to physi
cal education facility use, even
though the fact is you have
paid for their use.
The major question remains
"Why is this fee accessed to
CEP students when they do not
receive even a "hint" in ser
vices covered in incidental
fees? There should be either 1)
an exemption of the fee for CEP
students — since they do not
receive any notable services
anyway, or only for those tak
ing three credit hours, 2) a re
duced amount paid in inciden
tal fees — a fee only for the ac
tual service they do get. or 3)
an increase in services avail
able to CEP students to justify
this fee imposed.
This assessment of a "tax"
tag onto CEP students, when
they do not receive services
outlined in the fees, is unfair.
A similar conflict arises
when 1 consider the 50 percent
wage increase for Congress —
is there any discernment of jus
tice left?
Sheri Steiner
CEP student
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