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82nd Year oj Editorial Freedom
All unsigned qt initialed ci'icmls are the opinion of the editor or editors. Letters tnd columns
represent the opinions of individuals.
Jim Cooper, Greg Turos&k, Editors
March 20, 1974
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Immediately after the announcement of his unexpected
"vacation" frorn the vice presidency, Spiro Agnew (you
remember him, don't you?) said that he would write a book
about political intrigue in high places, and an eager public
yawned with anticipation. Playboy. Press bought the rights
to the book for somewhere between $50,000 and $250,000,
with serialization going to the Ladies Home Journal for
another $100,000.
Agnew's literary agent revealed that the book would be a
romantic novel dealing with the lives of a fictional vice
president and three women: his wife, his secretary and a
woman Cabinet member. If Agnew uses his personal
knowledge of current political practices as the basis for the
story, the plot might go something like this:
The readers will be given a behind-the-scenes look at the
daily life of a political executive. They'll see the frequent
visits of influential businessmen, carrying mysteriously
bulging briefcases; be present during the long vacations with
Mafia-connected celebrities and be spectators at the
meetings with lobotomized speech writers. They'll watch as
the vice president makes a fool of himself in public, and view
the heartbreak and pathos as he lives to regret that his name
is a household word. There will be glimpses of a president
going about his duty of being unaware of anything that, is
going on around him. For the first time, the strange nature of
the President's relations with oil company executives will be
revealed.
For the romantic-minded readers of Ladies Home Journal
there will be the vice president's wife. She'll be seen in the
whirl of Washington social life, hobnobbing with nabobs
and competing with effete snobs. Her life with her husband
will be complicated by various romances, involving late
night trysts with telephone repairmen and plumbers. For the
more demanding Playboy readers, the romantic plot will
thicken with the tense, midnight rendezvous of fiery Cubans
on, Spiro, we'll listen
at a downtown apartment complex, and the subsequent
embarrassment and scandal that follows the discovery of
their indiscretions. A special fold-out will reveal to the public
what it takes for a woman to succeed in politics.
A secretary also figures prominently in Agnew's book.
Like all good Washington secretaries, she will make
regrettable errors on a tape recorder keyboard and have the
ability to make work mysteriously disappear. She will amaze
the country by claiming that her tape recorder was possessed
by the devil. The readers will find out the real reason why
these secretaries are so abnormally loyal to their bosses, and
be shocked when they learn the true meaning of "Executive
Privilege."
I won't reveal the surprise ending, but suffice it to say that
the butler didn't do it.
Agnew may be setting a trend by committing his story to
print. With the abundance of money that seems to be
available for such efforts, other political figures may be lured
into literature. Energy Czar William Simon may publish a
story about his job, calling it "I Got Plenty of Nuthin."
Hubert Humphrey could write an allegory for Sports
Illustrated called "The Choke," about a second string player
who always fails when he gets a chance in the Big Game.
Press Secretary Ron Ziegler may get into the act with "Great
Press Statements I Couldn't Make Perfectly Clear." Henry
Kissinger's life story might appear as "Diplomacy and the
Single Man," an expose on those "conferences" behind
closed doors and the so-called "compromises" made during
them. President Nixon, who has already demonstrated his
adroitness with presidential papers, may come out with "The
People Be Damned; or Democracy, My Way," with never-before-heard-of
interpretations of the Constitution.
If Agnew's first book is a success, he will undoubtedly
publish another one. Rumor has it that this one will be
published by H&R Block, to be called Spiro's New Tax
Secrets. Write on, Spiro, write on!
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To the editors:
May 1 take this opportunity to urge all
Black students to be on hand for a most
important meeting of the Faculty Council
this Friday, March 22, 4 p.m., in Murphy
Hall.
Yep, we're on again, sisters and brothers.
The gracious folk have gotten around to our
day again as the Committee on the Status of
Minorities and the Disadvantaged makes its
annual report to the faculty. To be sure we
must share the billing (Black folk don't even
rate a day of their time any more). But then
the quantity isn't the concern but the quality.
On that score we're out in front for a very
special reason. That reason is simply that Dr.
Jim Brewer was on hand working with us.
Shockingly and surprisingly we have been
deprived of his continued presence. He was
one of our ablest brothers who tirelessly,
selflessly, and with unwavering resolve
worked to articulate, formulate, and
propose solutions to alleviate many of the
problems crucial to the lives of Black people
on this campus. The Committee's report, is
perhaps more influenced by him than any
other individual.
Therefore, in his name I urge us all to be at
Murphy Hull on Friday. No, not as some
type ui memorial or commemorative
outpouring. Jim Brewer's life will serve as a
lasting memorial. The contributions he
bestowed upon humankind are evident in his
learned writings, the many he touched
through the classroom experience and in his
wise counsel which lingers in the ear of the
most unreceptive listener. Rather, in the
name of Jim Brewer, I urge that we be there
and make ourselves heard because this type
cf sction serves as an extension of Jim,
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1:3 Daily Tar Heel
Jim Cccpcr, Greg Tureen!;
Editors
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Brewer. Thus it is dictated by our selfish self
interest because clearly Jim Brewer was part
of the vanguard, insightful, alert and aware,
a truly prophetic figure.
Hence we may be assured that this is a wise
course of action to pursue, that this final
giving of himself is in fact part of the
blueprint geared to the eventual liberation of
Black people at UNC-CH and beyond.
Friday, March 22,. 4 p.m., Ill Murphy
may prove the clearest opportunity yet for us
to do our share locally in the march toward
liberation.
Humphrey S. Cummings
21 Craige
Student blasts "
firing practices
To the editors:
Usually students are the first people to
attack the credibility of a professor, but there
comes a time when one finds it necessary to
speak up on behalf of someone. I now feel
most compelled to expose a grave injustice
that will take place on our campus.
J.C. Cashion is by far and away one of the
finest instructors that this University has
ever had. He has an incredible rapport with '
all of his students and a knack for making
learning a most enjoyable and worthwhile
experience. Mandatory attendance is not the
reason students show up for his class. His
lectures fully express the enjoyment and
satisfaction that he gets from teaching.
Now, as a result of a most unjust and
utterly ridiculous move, students will no
longer be able to learn from J.C Cashion.
Our great University will suffer a heavy loss.
The administration has decided not to renew
his contract for next year. How come UNC
keeps so many lousy teachers and gets rid of
the cream of the crop? I can't answer that,
but 1 feel it is time that the students who are
paying the salaries of our" instructors and
wonderful administration must come
forward and express their views. Shouldn't
we have a say in who will help to enhance our
education?
Please, every one of you that has had our
lovable J.C. Cashion for a history course,
come forward and file a formal complaint
with the University. Maybe if we raise a little
hell, our, thick-headed, upper echelon
administration will hear us crying out for
justice! Tell them that we want to keep one of
our best instructors at UNC. After all, we are
Despite the evils of what are
commonly termed "quotas," one major
question arises. How else are you going
to change universities that have long
denied enrollment to significant
numbers of minority students?
Just recently, the UNC Board of
Governors sent to HEW goals which
would increase the percentage of
minority students on this campus from
5.1 per cent to 7.1 per cent (from 985
students to 1,395) over a four-year
period.
If HEW does not accept this
proposal, which is far short of the
suggested projections made by HEW
officials, HEW and UNC have six
months to try and agree on a new
proposal. If no agreement is reached,
HEW could cut off $60 million in funds
and take court action against UNC.
Some say that quotas involve
shuffling of students between
universities and the paying of students
to go to certain universities, and are
therefore objectionable.
But quotas do serve a useful purpose.
If you left the admissions procedures
totally to the majority-controlled
universities, do you actually think they
would go out of their way to embrace
minority students?
Quotas serve as useful prods to keep
the university hopping towards ending
discrimination and from preventing
minorities from getting a good
education. As Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.,
says, "Their purpose is not to penalize
members of the majority but rather to
provide long-denied opportunities for
minorities."
Not so much emphasis should be
placed on grading and on standardized
tests. As is constantly argued, the scores
may oftentimes be a result of a cultural
bias.
Regardless of how minority students
have performed in high school or how
they may perform in college, the
question is whether or not these students
will be afforded a chance for a quality
education at the institution of their
choice.
It is certainly no unbearable hardship
for the university to increase UNC's
minority enrollment from 5. 1 per cent to
7.1 per cent over four years. That's an
extremely modest goal.
Quotas are not a solution in
themselves. They serve as a transition to
a time when equality in enrollment is
more of a reality and quotas are no
longer needed. But one wave of the
magic wand of attitude changes will not
do the trick.
If the university were simply told,
"Well, ya'll be nice and fair from now
on," and that was that, there would be
no progress. Goals are needed, and
money speaks nicely to ensure that those
goals are met.
G.C.T.
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supposed to have some say in the matters
that directly concern us, aren't we?
Hang in there J.C; well do everything
possible to keep you here, where you most
deservedly belong.
Mitchell Alan Wolf
216 E. Rosemary St.
Gary Dorsey
by Floyd Alford
Special to the DTH
Ah, Spring break.
What a great time of the semester.
After coming back to school, the tales
people are coming back with sound
fantastic.
For some it was a Florida beach, for
others it was Nassau or the Bahamas, some
went to the mountains, still others traveled
to New York and a minority just stayed
around their homes sleeping and talking
with Mom and Dad.
My vacation experience was completely
different.
1 was looking for a job.
This past autumn I heard a rumor that the
job market was going to be tight this year for
graduating seniors, but let me tell you this
isn't a rumor, it's a fact.
The definition of frustration should be:
calling a prospective employer and saying,
"Hi. 1 wrote you last week in reference to a
job with your company." And the person on
the other end of the phone saying, "What
was your name again, and what did you say
your major interests are?" It makes you feel
as if you have really made a terrific
impression after so diligently trying.
"Not enough experience," "Too much
experience and education," or "your
qualifications are good, but we just don't
have any opening now" were typical replies I
received.
How are you supposed to get experience
without first getting a job? Have the past
four years been spent learning how to be
gracious to a person who tells you that you
have too much education?
When applying for a job, you have to fill
out an application. They may range in length
from a simple two-page form to a
complicated four-page questionnaire-
Some questions are really pertinent.
I was so tempted to say that in elementary
school my major course of study was
reading, writing and arithmetic, but
somehow 1 could never get up the nerve.
After spending all day Monday setting up
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appointments for the rest of the week, I was
ready to start selling myself on Tuesday.
I'd made up my mind that I'd try to
exhaust all possibilities during my free week.
My first encounter was with a radio
station. Radio is something that I've had no
experience with, but I figured I'd give it a try.
The interview was going really well until
the interviewer said that he'd like me to go
into the recording studio and tape a
newscast. I was fortunate enough to be able
to read over the news copy before having to
record it.
I was confident that 1 could do it, but as
soon as the recorder was turned on, I freaked
out. The strangest thing about it though was
listening to myself with the interviewer after
the recording session.
Immediately after this interview, I called
all the radio and television stations that I had
interviews with and told them I wouldn't be
able to make it. Who would put themselves
through another experience like that again?
I kept my interviews with newspapers,
public relations firms and large companies
with communication departments, and my
week was still busy.
Several of the large firms told me that
anyone starting out in the "real world" after
college would have to crawl before they
could walk. At least give me a chance to
crawl, I thought, but no one was interested in
having a baby crawling around their office.
By Friday I was tired of beating the streets
looking for a job, but I continued my search.
Putting on my trusty suit and tie and my
cordial smile, I went out again.
But to no avail. I got the same responses,
filled out more application forms and still
managed to be gracious.
On Friday afternoon I was able to put all
of my week's experience together.
If only I'd been smart enough to go to the
mountains or enjoy the surf. But no, it was
job hunting for me.
So if you're worrying about havin g a good
time over break and not applying for jobs,
get over it. I only wish I'd had as much sense.
Nuclear power a complex question
Just before spring break my dad made
the biggest sale Florida Steel has ever
made to a single customer. He sold five
million dollars worth of steel to Georgia
Power, a nice sale and everyone was
proud of him. Except for me. I couldn't
help it. My feelings were, well, mixed.
It was quite an achievement for my
dad, nearing 60, having worked for
Florida Steel for thirty years, I guess, it
was a much needed morale booster, he
knew he was needed, a worthwhile man
in the company, it's bringing in money
for him and the company, it's going to
send me through school another year,
mom's proud, sis is proud and Georgia
Power has the steel to build ... a nuclear
power plant. ("Hush," my mother used
to tell me, "be thankful for what you've
got." But 1 never could accept the mixed
blessing and rest easy.)
From here 1 must be careful. Watson
Morris, director of ECOS at UNC, told
me he knows a scientist at the University
of Maryland who was concerned about
the dangers of nuclear power and often
tried to convince his colleagues and
friends about the dangers.
He'd tell them why he was so
concerned.
"Each nuclear reactor at full fission
product inventory contains radioactive
poisons vastly greater in lethal potential
than the world total of chemical warfare
poisons.
"The Atomic Energy Commission
says that an accident b unlikely but one
which, if it happened, could kill upward
of five million people.
"In 1972, nuclear fission provided
only one per cent of the country's
energy, even 25 years from now, it will
provide no more than 30 per cent.
"There's no need for it. It's senseless
to build dangerous plants that are
inefficient as well as costly."
Watson said the guy quit talking to
people after a while because they all
thought he was being reactionary and
overly concerned and unduly emotional
about it. "You're crazy," they said.
Besides, no one would believe that their
friendly neighborhood power company
would be so stupid. The plants must.be
safe.
The plants would be safe if there was a
100 per cent certainty that the
radioactive poisons the plants make
could be contained.
These radioactive wastes make as
much radioactivity every year as one
thousand Hiroshima-sized atomic
bombs. By the year 2,000 there will be
over 800 nuclear power plants. The
wastes have to be transported and lsft to
process in storage facilities until they are
safe. Storage has to continue for 100,000
years or longer, according to the Atomic
Energy Commission.
And all the power people say don't
worry we'll keep it under control; we'll
keep the wastes contained so nobody
gets hurt.
They like to brag that there has not
been an accident yet in any cf their
plants..
Well.
Last June, Atomic Energy
Commission officials visited Duke
Power's Oconee station 30 miles west of
Greenville, S.C. and found 37 violations
which, if they had gone uncorrected,
would have constituted a major danger
to the public.
The AEC said Duke Power's
violations constituted a Category II
danger.
"Category 11 violations," said the
AEC, "are those violations which, if not
corrected, may lead to or contribute to
an occurrence, incident or situation
involving radiation exposure to
employes or the public in excess of
permissible limits."
The AEC data shows that if 10 per
cent of the radioactive poison inside one
plant escaped an error in design,
manufacture, construction, operation
or criminal activity people up to 100
miles away could be killed by acute
radiation exposure. Agriculture and
water supplies would be ruined in an
area up to 150,000 square miles.
Imagine an atomic blast without the
blast. (Am 1 being unduly emotional? I
always ask myself. Duke Power
wouldn't let such a thing happen. They
rescue cats from trees, and fix my power
lines and starve coal miners out of their
homes in Kentucky...)
But you can't honestly set the power
plants off as being the bad guys in this
case.
"I've talked to many of the big
officials with the power plants," Watson
told me, "and they really, honestly,
sincerely think they're right when they
say there's nothing wrong with nuclear
power. They've put a lot of money into
them."
It's a big business. The Oconee station
near Greenville, S.C. cost $500 million
to build. There are three nuclear units,
and they are 19 stories high. There are
three nuclear reactors in operation in
the Carolinas. There will be 24
scheduled for the mid-1980's. Obviously
some people believe in them.
Jesse Helms believes in them.
"The economics of nuclear power
plants is one best settled by the
businessmen who are responsible for the
business decisions involved and the
agencies which must approve costs. I
doubt that any businessman would go
into a project where the loss to the
stockholders is as plain as some people
portray it."
President Nixon believes in them. In
last week's press conference he said that
in lieu of the energy crisis it is time to
move ahead with the use of nuclear
power. It's time for the big push.
And my dad believes in them. He's the
only one I can really sympathize with
because he's my dad and I'm proud of
him for making the big sale, and I'm
thankful that I'll be going to school next
year with his help. But it's a mixed
blessing, and I told him so and I think I
might have hurt his feelings.
But we must learn. Nuclear power
plants constitute a threat to the safety of
our society. The big push must be
slowed.