EDITORIAL
Aid to Russia is in
best interest of U.S.
America’s future lies in the hands of a president who
must overcome a hostile congress and a disquieted pop
ulace in order to promote his agenda for e< onornic, recov
ery. But his name isn't Hill.
Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin is the man
of the hour. and. as much as America's future hinges on
his ability to act. so to does his future depend upon
America.
Yeltsin's presidency is undergoing perhaps its darkest
hour as holdover communist apparatchiks are attempt
ing to thwart his freo-market reforms and remove him
from power.
If Yeltsin were to be removed, he would likely be
replaced uy « cumniu*
nist puppet dictator
who would ensure Rus
sia's power and wealth
remained in the hands
of those who have so
successfully raped the
country for the past 70
years.
To be certain. Yeltsin
is not the poster child
for capitalism. Yet he is
one of a few men in
Russia who not only possess some unaersianaing oi inns
market economics, but also knows how to roll the loaded
dice of Russian politics,
Yeltsin has survived the most recent attempts at
removal primarily because he still commands the sup
port of the Russian people, but that support is dwindling
along with Russia's economy and may vanish by year's
end.
The United States con take a significant step toward
ensuring Yeltsin's survival and boosting Russia's eco
nomic recovery with a substantive aid package. The
most basic argument in favor of aid is that a short-term
investment now will be less expensive than the long
torm expense of a renewed Cold War.
But throwing money at Russia is not the answer.
Rather, freeing up credit to Russian businessmen, pro
viding advanced production technology and technical
and professional support are among the more important
requirements for any aid package.
Currently. Russia has no legitimate banking system
that can support businesses, and Russian production
methods are grossly Inefficient and outdated.
But America should bv no moans attempt to turn
Russia into USA East. Although Russians have been
looking intently at the West as a model on which to
build, they should take heed of Western deficiencies
and loarn from our mistakes.
onon^ Emerald
The Oregon l>*iy Emerald rs pubtehed Oath, Monday through Friday durmg the school
yaar and Tuesday and Thursday during the unw By me Oagon Darty Emerald
Publishing Co me at me Uruvervty ot Oegon E ugene. Oregon
the Emerald operates independently ot the Un-varsity enth oh ices at SuSa 300 ot the
Ert> Memonai llmon and is a member o< the associated Press
the trueraU >» p"»ale property the uniawlui removal or use ot papers « prosecutable
Editor. Pat Matach
Newe Editor Jake Berg Freelance Editor Hope Reason
Editor tel Edtlor Martin tuner Editor tel Editor Rivers Janssen
Graphic* Editor Je« Paslay Sports Editor Dave Charbonneeu
Entertainment Editor 1 r*ya Horn Supplements Editor CaPey Anderson
Night Editor: Chester ASen
Associate Editors: Tammy Baiey Stixt*''! Oovernmenlr'Aclnor es, Data'yn Trappe
Commwaty CoPaen Pohug. isgher £duration arxm
News Suit Scott Andre Chester A: en Matt Bender Justm Brown. Sarah Clar* Meg
OedoAm Amy Devenpon Jen EHrson. Amanda Fern* Anthony Forney Teresa Ftuntsmgw
Lisa Mau- Rebecca Me-'!' Steve Mim*. T.lhn. MueUe- Tr.sia Noel E»en Shaw, ties
Studemcsa Mar on Suitor. Mxheie thompso** Aguiar. Amy Van Tuyl. Todd WArams
Qeneral Manager: Judy R-«J Production Manager ASctieie Ross
Advertising: Tom leech Sharon V« Sales Menage's Shawn Berven. cWe Manage
J*te Irola Teresa lsac«t“e Ph lrp Johnson II. Chris Kanott Jeremy Mason. Van V O’Bryan
It. CeSian Oh. Rithaer TruS Ange Windham. Brian yvinrmerm
Classified BeeSy Me-cha-n AAtnager Barry lagan Sharon Sauve
Distribution Brandon Anderson. t*o Msmnrurg. Graham S-mpson
Business halhy Carbone. Supervisor AxJy ConnoPy
Production: Ingrd Wh-to P-odU-lwn CoordnaAv Anstme Granger Dee McCobb Stacy
Mrtch«8 Jenn-ler Roland. Jenn.le- South
Nasrsroom ___JA«S1t DtspUy Advertising .J4*-J7tl
Business Olhca .—. M*-MT2 Classified Advertising.... 34A-4M3
4JCM
AwD TWE COUfiT S4CS
Tf^-VftPO P&VW.TV. -
OPINION
Rough sailing back into the U.S.
eople going to Mexico are
always warned alwnit "the
X. water." but coining back
from that country Saturday. 1
found U S waters to be much
more unfriendly.
Initially after getting off of mv
first flight Saturday at the Los
Angeles airport, everything was
fine The first stop was to get my
passport and customs card
stamped, and the only difficult
thing about that was waiting tn
line.
"Welcome back, sir." an agent
said, stamping my documents.
Wow, that was probably the
first time 1 had ever been
addressed us such outside of a
restaurant. I almost felt like giv
ing him a tip; it felt so good to be
track.
A short walk later. I saw my
two items of luggage circling the
carousel. This seemed like it
was going to go pretty fast.
Smooth sailing.
That's when 1 met the Hoover
Dam. in the form of an overiiear
ing. overbellied customs agent.
Meeting him was worse than my
one day of Montezuma's
Revenge — but both wore part of
equally bad waters.
While looking around for the
person I was supposed to give
my customs declaration card. I
walked by her. The guard in
question, who resembled Dis
ney's Sheriff of Nottingham, ver
bailv signaled me to give my
card to the woman, who soon
returned it to me.
She witnessed, smiling from
her stool, a session of "20 Ques
tions.”
Sheriff of Nottingham: "How
long were you Mexico?"
Cowering me: "A week."
Sheriff: "Are you traveling
alone?"
Me: "Yes."
Sheriff; '‘What was the pur
pose of your trip?"
Mo: "Pleasure.”
Sheriff; "What's your occupa
tion?"
Me: "Student."
Sheriff: "Where do you attend
school?"
Mo "The University of Ore
Kon."
Sheriff: "What do you study?”
Me: "Journalism."
Sheriff: "Please step to the
yellow lino."
Great, at least 1 wouldn't have
to deal with that guy again,
right? Well, meet a woman who
is the equivalent of the Sheriffs
little sister, who. though appear
ing much more friendly, ran me
through the same line of ques
tioning. She even asked me if I
packed my own bogs and if that
meant that everything that was
in there should he there.
Little Sister also gave my hugs
a thorough check. My sleeping,
dirty underwear and toiletries
hags all received inspection.
When she was done — with
my items randomly laying all
over the counter — she politely
informed me in her monotone
voice and manner that I was
welcome to put my things hack
in my hags The sleeping hag.
which had been packed tightly .
took forever to get hack into its
duffle bag.
Although I realize that the
agents were just doing their jobs,
they did not have to do it in
such an unfriendly manner.
During my check, a young
Mexican man had been receiv
ing the same treatment, hut
appearing not to know the Eng
lish language well, he was going
along with it. 1 felt bad for him
because his country had treated
me so much letter.
After all, the customs agent
that met me upon my arrival in
Mexico City a week before (with
me wearing the same outfit, car
rying the same luggage and
walking right by the same per
son I was supposed to hand the
Mexicans, in
general, could
teach the U.S.
people a lot about
manners.
card lo as in Los Angeles)
allowed me to pass freely
through, with instructions (in
Spanish 1 didn't understand) to
press the button for the green
light. 1 didn't, but it went unno
ticed, and 1 went on my merry
way.
l.ooking back, this showed me
that there are two ways to do
such a job: be a jerk (the Ameri
can way) or be cool (the Mexi
can way) I saw in that instance,
and in others, that Mexicans, in
general, could teach the U.S.
people a lot about manners.
A little common sense would
have lieen nice. too. Why would
I attempt to sneak any con
trolled substances (such as
drugs or alcohol) through a fed
eral checkpoint when 1 could
more easily find anything I
wanted in Eugene?
After asking a young Mexican
woman I met what she thought
of the United States, she
responded with the three words
(English version) "modern.''
“technological" and "liberal."
She added that many Mexicans
believed that views of her peo
ple in the United States were of
"slow-minded," "lazy" people.
If "slow-minded" and "lazy"
mean being more friendly and
more sensible than a "modern"
and "liberal" country thut has
rude and insensible customs
agents with inflated egos, then
someone start a fund-raiser for
my ticket back to Mexico City.
My liags are packed — and noth
ing's illegal about them.
Welcome back sir. Yeah,
thanks.
lake Berg is the news editor of
the Evnemld.