Wat Saihj ar Wml
Opinions of The Dafly Tar Heel are expresseu on its editorial page. All
unsigned editorials are the opinions of the editor. Letters and columns
represent only the opinions of the individual contributors.
Harry Bryan, Editor
Tuesday, September 14, 1971
Our dream girl:
another nightmare
Mi 1. ..ri - L-.-j Schader of
B-ol' . Ohio v.:is crowned Miss
ri. : o! !'2 S:jturdav niizht.
Y
1
s i .
Ar::.-n..i The eirl of
ccr p. (J-hloodvd American male's
drjiiin v I ho yirl admired by every
l0- ear-old sjirl in the country. The
girl -every mother would want her
son to mair. or her daughter to be.
Ah, yi'v Miv-, America.
Well. Mi- - America (the same as
the one ju-t ik-venb-ed) held her
first pre-, conference Sunday and
outlined a fevv of her beliefs
concerning politics, morals and
fa shion.
Accortlini? to 'I he Associated
l'res. a feu of the quotes that came
out ol the interview were as
follows:
About v. ,:r:
"It would be good to end the
war but I believe we have a right to
be in Victual!"
About President Nixon and the
"good job" he is doing getting the
United States out of the war:
"He should be allowed to follow
his program because he knows a lot
more about it than the majority of
normal citizens."
Voting requirements
for students unfair
frnn The Charlotte Observer
North Carolina students are still
barred from voting in towns where
they go to college, and that puts
their citizenship in a unique
category which is increasingly
questionable.
The principal argument for
restricting them has to do with
"voter accountability." It goes
something like this: Why should
transient blocs of students be
permitted to vote in a local
referendum which could increase
the bonded debt or tax levies for
residents with more permanent
roots?
The question has special
relevance in the hundreds of cities
and towns across the nation where
student enrollment out-numbers
the non-student population.
But the argument could be
applied as easily to other sectors of
the population. Students, after all,
are not necessarily the most
transient group in America.
Certainly they are less transient
than the serv iceman.
Yet in North Carolina it is the
;My ularlirrl
7S Yejrs of Editorial Freedom
Harry Bryan. Editor
Mike Parneli Managing Ed.
Glenn Prank News Editor
Lou Bonds Associate Ed.
Lana Stames .... Associate Ed.
Mark Whicker Sports Ed.
Ken Ripley .... Feature Editor
Bob Chapman .. Natl. News Ed.
Bob Wilson Business Mgr.
Patti Hugiie Adv. Mgr.
About premarital sex:
"It's not for me."
Concerning other issues she said
women aren't discriminated against
in the U.S. and that Miss America
contests help the cause of the
women's liberation movement since
beauty pageants give women the
opportunity to develop their own
views and goals.
She also said abortions should be
illegal, that marijuana use leads to
hard drugs and that she doesn't
own a single pair of blue jeans.
Then, according to The
Associated Press, she had the nerve
to say. "I think the majority of
young people think the way I do on
just about everything."
Well, she is supposed to be one
of the main spokesmen of the
younger generation. (After all. she
was picked by a group of judges
that probably averaged about 50 in
age.)
But, Miss America of 1 972
speaking for the younger generation
is about like Hitler becoming the
international spokesman for B'nai
B nth.
student at Chapel Hill, not the GI
at Ft. Bragg, whose right to vote is
withheld until he swears that "it is
my intent to remain in the county,
as a resident thereof, upon my
completion of my academic
endeavors." That affidavit poses a
legal binder on the student's
franchise which is unknown to any
other voter, and which has become
all the more prominent with
passage of the 26th Amendment,
which gave 18-year-olds the right to
vote.
To apply the accountability
argument fairly, the state elections
board would have to draw clear
definitions of "temporary" and
"permanent" residency and apply
them to all voters. That would be a
very difficult thing to do. At just
what point does someone become a
permanent resident? When his
mailing address changes, his
employment place changes, his
license tag changes?
A better approach would be for
the North Carolina Board of
Elections simply to drop the
present restrictions on students.
The argument about accountability
may eventually have to take a back
seat to constitutionality, anyway,
particularly if current lawsuits filed
here and elsewhere reach the U.S.
Supreme Court.
Most fears of the student vote
seem to be exaggerated both in
theory and in law. As with other
groups, students do not necessarily
vote alike. They cannot be
stereotyped as "radical liberals"
any more than the elderly can be
neatly packaged as
"ultra-conservative."
In recent months some 16 states
have begun permitting students to
vote in local elections. It is a trend
that started after passage of the
26th Amendment and was hastened
by a series of court decisions and
opinions from attorneys general.
We think the Board of Elections
should follow the national initiative
by removing its restrictions on the
student vote. Soon this may be the
only alternative to applying a
"permanent residency" test to
every citizen of North Carolina - a
choice that may hold more pitfalls
than the current system.
Keith W'eatherly
Most Student Legislature meetings are
about as exciting as a lukewarm bowl of
oatmeal. Take last Thursday's meeting as
a glowing example. The legislators (and a
few of us masochists in the gallery ) sat in
the stifling heat of the Di Phi chamber for
an hour and a half and listened to a few
serr.j-ser.siKe comments and a lot of
parliamentary nonsense. The meeting
commenced with a lively roll call, after
which the tempo rapidly declined. The
only part of the agenda that received any
real attention from the legislators was a
resolution in support of the lawsuit
contesting the North Carolina Primary
Law. There were few spirited exchanges
and all in all the debate lacked
enthusiasm. It was a typical Student
Legislature meeting.
On the surface, to many outsiders, this
is all there is to Student Government -one
big bore, involving only those who
directly participate. This is grossly
untrue! Those students who are apathetic
about Student Government obviously do
not know anything about it. Although
Legislature meetings are an important
part of Student Government, Ihey are by
no means the whole picture, but sadly the
only one that many students see.
The student body is blessed with a
group of truly capable officers. President
Joe Stallings and Vice President Chris
Daggett were elected last spring by a large
Letter
Police aid
serenade
to the editor:
On September 7, Phi Delta Chi
Fraternity held their first meeting of the
year and elected Miss Judy Morgan, fifth
year student in the school of pharmacy,
as Sweetheart.
Following the century old tradition of
Carolina fraternities, Miss Morgan was
serenaded at her residence in Granville
South. While waiting for Miss Morgan to
come down from her room, many of the
brothers gathered in the Granville parking
lot. There were a few shouts and cheers,
but it was obvious from the onset that a
riot was not in the making.
An employee of Granville Towers
immediately came out and instructed us
that we must leave at once, and that if
this was not done, the police would be
called. The employee was not harassed in
any way; however, the situation was
explained to him and he was informed
that we would hold down the noise, but
that we did not intend to leave. He had
no comment. Now, there was only
normal conversation among the fraternity
members. There were no shouts or cheers
after this point.
About five minutes later, a second
employee told us that he had been
instructed to determine how long we
would be there. He was told that we
would be leaving in about ten minutes.
This employee told us to stay as long as
necessary, and he also said that he had
heard no noise.
Shortly thereafter, Miss Morgan came
to the Granville door at the same time
that two Chapel Hill police cars arrived.
The police waited while the fraternity
serenaded our Sweetheart. The police
then congratulated Miss Morgan as the
fraternity left the parking lot, and the
whole "Catastrophe" was ended.
We thank the Chapel Hill Police
Department for the manner in which they
handled the situation. We only regret that
the attitudes of some have so changed
that any group in Chapel Hill can not be
allowed to show unity and spirit.
Chris Morrison
President of Phi Delta Chi
Norman Black
Many Carolina students returned to
Chapel Hill this fall only to find the cost
of living off-campus had risen during the
summer.
One principle reason for this was the
increase in the rates of deposits required
for utility service. The blow was softened
somewhat when the University Service
Plant announced they are required to pay
six per cent interest on all deposits held
for more than 90 days.
There is another area, however, even
more vital to the student living
off-campus, in which the small amount of
relief provided by an interest rate is
non-existent.
In a recent Associated Press story, it
was reported that the landlords of North
Carolina are holding or reinvesting
millions of dollars paid by their tenants
for security deposits.
But when the deposits are returned to
the tenants, they receive no interest on
what they paid.
Thus, the landlords sometimes have
use of the money for years, without
having to pay for it.
According to the North Carolina
Board of Realtors, the average deposit for
an apartment in one of the state's major
cities is at least $ 1 00, and sometimes runs
as high as S200 or a month's rent.
Tenants pay the deposit when they
La
t serves students interests
ma.-onty; so far their enthusiasm has
remained high. Vice President Daggett
serves as the extremely person able
speaker cf the Legislature. Mr. Daggett
has carefully avoided partiality to any
faction in the Legislature and this is a
very' valuable quality in a weaker.
President S tailings has been working
quietly, but efficiently this year. Unlike
his predecessor. Mr. Stalling is not a
publicity hog. At this point Mr. Stallir.gs
seems more interested in the students than
his future political career. Mar.
student body presidents of recent ears
have been more interested in themselves
than the students. I commend both the
president and vice president for the jobs
they are doing. The Student
Government has an annual budget m
excess of S250.000. This money comes
from student fees and is dispersed among
various campus organizations by the
Legislature. The responsibility over this
money is by far the most important duty
of our government and one which draws
by far the most criticism.
For all of the students who annually
complain that this money is wasted, or
that they never benefit from its use - I
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Consumers need protection
Not all Freudian slips are provoked by
sex. As the current "New Yorker" shows,
with its usual sharp eye for the grotesque,
money too can trap the unwary into wry
self-revelation: "Gustave L. Levy of
Goldman, Sachs, and Co., an ardent
Nixon supporter, said, 'we approve of
everything he did. It's good for the
market, but it's also good for the
country, which I think is also important.'
- "Newark Star-Ledger" "Still,
comments the "New Yorker", it's best to
put first things first."
Mirrors, mirrors everywhere. One
often suspects that the Chapel Hill
merchants, landlords, and realtors, with
similar unabashed innocence, assume that
students exist in order to let loose a flow
of cash into local tills. Blue and white
signs throughout town "welcome UNC
students" as paying customers.
(Meanwhile, an alderman publicly
criticizes Mayor Lee for welcoming
student voter registration.) We are captive
buyers in a seller's market, and we feel it
at every turn.
Examples abound, some petty until
they accumulate. A friend tells of
receiving his latest credit card bill. The
billing date marked was Sept. 3; it was
ndlords profit from
sign a lease, and depending on the
wording of the contract, get it back when
moving out, minus damages in excess of
normal wear and any penalty imposed if
the lease is broken.
Preliminary 1970 census figures
indicate there are 192,881 apartment or
duplex buildings in North Carolina.
In other words, the amount of money
being held or reinvested by landlords is
quite a large sum. The figure is estimated
to be in the millions.
A bill was Introduced Ln the N.C.
General Assembly this year which would
have required the landlord to pay a six
per cent interest rate on all deposits.
The proposal, written by Rep. Jim
Long (D-Alamance), was killed in
committee.
The interest paid on a utility deposit is
a precedent. The North Carolina Utilities
Commission requires companies under its
jurisdiction, as Chapel Hill now is, to pay
six per cent on all security deposits.
The commission regulation has been in
effect for little more than a year now.
It further requires a full accounting to
the customer and the return of his
deposit when service ends. Also, it makes
the utilities return the deposit after the
first year if the customer has paid his bills
promptly.
A total
the Student L'r.ior.
Daily Tar Heel received S-3.0X) and the
Yack received SI 0.000; both publications
are available to the student body. Student
Government provides services to the
students such as refrigerators. No or.e can
honestly claim that Student Government
offers them nothing.
Students should take more than a
casual interest m their government
Legislators should be contacted about
needed programs or to grip about existing
ones. The only means an individual has to
exert change is through an influential
organization because, as we all know, the
administration is not going to move an
inch without being shoved. Student
Government is one of the few avenues
open to the student to provide a loud
voice against South Building.
I believe that Student Government will
gam respect in years to come as it.
organization which seeks to serve the
students interests. Student Government
is not the small circle of politicos that it
was a couple of years ago. Gone are the
political parties and with them the party
I . . A
Aeox
w :
postmarked the 10th. It was also the first
billing received for many June, July and
August purchases. The total was
impressive. Is someone out to get him.
willy-nilly, to pay their interest rates0
Ten days ago, I bought a frozen,
pre-basted turkey at fifty-four cents a
pound. One week later, in the same local
grocery, I went to buy another and found
it raised to fifty-nine cents a pound (same
size, same brand). Rents, of course, like
processed groceries, are frozen, but we
hear that some renters are surprised by
new charges for accustomed services (not
to be included with the rental check). A
local "deep discount" price features three
pounds of pre-wrapped hamburger at
SI. 99, which comes to S.66 a pound - a
price significantly higher than that
charged from day to day at certain stores
here with personalized butcher service.
Shall I go on?
How can I protect myself? There are
some half measures to t3ke. Comparison
shopping can be fun (and is often a
surprise or a shock) but it takes time and
constant alertness. Many situations are
too slippery for legal redress, and
invoking the law also costs in time and
money. Full measures, if there are to be
This was actually the main thrust of
Long's bill.
The Alamance County representative
introduced the legislation in an effort to
make sure a tenant got his deposit back,
or at least received a written statement as
to why he did not. The interest provision
w as secondary to this.
That is obvious upon viewing the
history of the bill. After the first hearing
in the House Judiciary Committee, the
six per cent interest provision was
changed to two per cent, and later was
dropped altogether.
And yet the bill was still killed in
committee.
Opposition to the Long bill was
spearheaded by the North Carolina Board
of Realtors. Long said objections to the
interest payment provision centered on
the bookkeeping that would be required
and on bank regulations which prohibit
payment of interest held in trust
accounts.
Many states in the country require
landlords to keep a tenant's security
deposits in escrow, but that is not
required in N.C.
Once the deposit is in escrow, interest
is not paid, and there is a federal reserve
ruling that prohibits profit-making
corporations from receiving interest on
savings accounts.
suv
machines that allowed or.lv a select
portion ot the student body to hold x
political position. Legislative candidates,
no, have no strong party organizations
to back them up. They must run on the.:
own. merits, no! on partv propaganda I
believe that the collapse of the Cnivers::.
Partv and the Student Partv has added
creat.v to tne cua;itv
ot
Studen:
( - - A V "? Jn 1 -
to participate m campus po.:t:c
hav.r.g to climb an mter-partv
Student Government does not deserv
arces tr.at it is a
"do-nothmg"
organization. The rei!
achievements of our government may no:
receive front page coverage, but the.
nonetheless, are achievements. The
services that the Student Government
provide cannot be denied. Without our
own governmental structure the
1'mversity administration would take
over student fees and student service
tthich would ou prefer - Suite C
South Budding
Take an interest m Studer:
Government. There is nothing to lose ar.i
everything to gain.
73
any. will require cooperative action. At
the moment, the Consumer Attairs
Committee of the GPSF is beginning to
get organized, with Mike Desjardins, a
graduate student in Russian history, as its
chairman.
The first need of the Consumer Affairs
Committee is for accurate, detailed
knowledge of inequitable situations or
incidents. As you shop, as you pay for
services, we ask you to watch what you
pjy and what you get. If you have a
complaint or criticism, please make it
known to Mike (at 211 McCauley Street)
or to Don Abruzzo (in 30' Greenlaw -u-e
campus mail or come in person). Mike
and Don are opening a file of complaints,
each of which should include the
following: date of the incident, all
pertinent details (if possible chp on price
tags, ads, etc.), your name, address, jnd
phone. When we have enough data wc
will be able to judge better what action
may be effective and which targets invite
it most.
On a different note: a final reminder
that the GPSF Senate holds its first
meeting of the fall this Thursday, and
each department should have a
representative present.
deposits
So the landlord's money would be tied
up, and would not be available for his
use.
The Board of Realtors' opposition
makes good sense. If you were a landlord
and had the free use of millions of
dollars, you wouldn't want that money
tied up in an account where you couldn't
use it, and not even collect interest.
And besides, it cuts into the profit
margin if landlords have to pay interest.
They would have to pass the cost along to
the tenants.
And as for bookkeeping - well, it
takes some money to pay a staff to
account for a tenant's deposit. It's not
done now and realtors want to ktep
things the way they are.
In short, the tenants of North Carolina
are getting a raw deal, and our elected
representatives in the N.C. General
Assembly are still more concerned with
company interests than with consumer
protection.
Rep. Long has said a measure on the
same topic could be offered again in the
1973 Assembly.
One can only hope a similar bill will be
introduced. In the mean time, the
situation will remain as it is.
So tenants, you better check your
lease, because you might not get all of
that deposit back.