8 The Daily Tar Heel Thursday, March 22, 1979
Lou Bilionis, IuUtor
Chuck Alston, Managing Editor
Don Woodard, Associate Editor
George Shadroui, AssociiUe FJitor
Eddie Marks, University Editor
Mike Coyne, City FJitor
Michael Wade, State and National FJitor
Richard Barron, News FJitor
Betsy Flagler, Features Editor
Ann Smallwood, Arts Editor
Reid Tuvim, Sports Editor
Billy Newman Photography' Editor
aiwan's interests
While President Carter's recognition of China last December was met
with approval on the international front, enthusiasm in the United
States was dampened by a small but vocal bloc which viewed the move
as "abandonment" of longtime ally Taiwan. Many politically active '
conservatives, including North Carolina's own Jesse Helms, were acidly
critical of Carter's heralded diplomatic coup, calling the decision
nothing short of an act of treachery. But a bill expected to be introduced
in the House and Senate soon may, if passed, allay some of the
apprehension expressed by opponents to normalization.
Before agreeing to normalization, the People's Republic insisted the
United States cancel its 1954 defense treaty with Taiwan, withdraw its
700 troops from the island and terminate official diplomatic relations
with the island republic.
Taiwanese sympathizers in this country claimed the concessions
signed, sealed and delivered Taiwan's death warrant. And in Taiwan
fears of reunification and Chinese invasion reached a fever pitch.
China, however, has remained vague on the Taiwan issue since Vice
Premiere Deng Xiaoping visited the United States more than a month
ago. American attempts to extract a blanket statement from Deng that
China will not use milita. force against Taiwan have failed, and the
future relationship :between the two countries remains unclear.
But efforts are being made in Congress to head off any damages which
could result from the concessions made for normalization.
A bill that would virtually restore Taiwan's official status will be
considered for approval in the House and Senate within the next few
weeks. The bill would allow Taiwan to buy defensive weapons from the
United States, establish unofficial diplomatic relations, guarantee U.S.
encouragement of Taiwan business interests and enpower Congress to
monitor the island and thereby ensure that Taiwan suffers as little as
possible from U.S. recognition of the mainland.
Passage of the 'bill will not end all protests by opponents of
normalization, for many opponents always will consider China the
enemy. But the provisions in the bill should satisfy most Americans that
the interests of Taiwan will not be ignored in Washington.
Nagging distance
One recurring criticism of the nation's major universities charges that
huge student populations and high student-to-faculty ratios lead to a
depersonalization of the educational system. The cavernous lecture hall
has become something of a symbol of the new education industry: large,
impersonal classes led by professors wired into a sound system or,
worse, throngs of students jotting down notes from a lecture presented
on a television screen.
The interchange between professor and student which epitomized the
classical education is hard to maintain on a sprawling, crowded campus.
And here at UNC, the financial, logistical and even psychological
problems indigenous to a large university are just as troubling. The
veritable zoos that frequently assemble in the largest rooms of Carroll,
Venable or Hamilton halls attest to the fact that, even in Chapel Hill,
close contacts between professor and student are difficult to foster or
maintain.
In many beginning and intermediate chemistry courses, for instance,
enrollment in a class can reach stupendous heights. The same holds for a
host of classes offered in the social sciences. Especially disturbing,
though, is the realization that the largest classes "are those geared
primarily for freshmen those students who are in the process of
building solid foundations for advanced study in later years. Without a
healthy dialogue between professor and student, it is difficult for the
student to make firm his grasp of the most basic material, to try out new
ideas, and to be set straight when those ideas are dead wrong.
Carolina's faculty has turned to other methods to overcome the woes
of big-university life. Special seminars and small recitation or discussion
sections for the larger lecture courses can add a personal element to a
student's education and guarantee at least a modicum of attention to
individual needs. Liberal office hours for members of the faculty, along
with special discussion sections and periodic meetings between
professors and individual students, can often help offset the
shortcomings inherent to a school of some 20,000 students.
Until the University grows physically and has the room and faculty to
support smaller classes, the nagging distance between students and
faculty will remain. But until then, reforms in curricula and teaching
methods which will bring the professor and the student closer together
must be pursued and encouraged.
The Bottom Line
Richard Speck Hospital
"Well 1 wanna tell ya. Pilgrim,
you'll be cleared to land in a moment.
In the meantime, circle them
airplanes and keep, the women and
children in their seats and out of the
aisles." Such might be the response
from the control tower of Los
Angeles' International Airport if the
city council approves a resolution to
rename the terminal "John Wayne
International Airport."
Paul Priolo, Republican leader of
the California legislature, introduced
the resolution recently in hope of
honoring the Duke before it's "too
late." If the assembly adopts the
proposal, however, it will be up to the
city council to decide, since
legislative acts regarding local
government are non-binding.
But who knows; this one incident
may set a trend that would see Salt
Lake City's airport named after
Donnie and Marie and the
establishment of the Catfish Hunter
Bus Terminal in Atoskie.
Humpty-dumpty
A lot of strange things happened at
the vernal equinox celebration
Tuesday, night at Foresi Tneater
Stye-
(Mr iim
67: year of editorial freedom
People stood around and chanted
nifty little phrases like "share me."
and "save me." and about 30 other
things a "me" can do or be done to.
The "Spider Woman." known for her
somewhat different approach to
science, tied members of the audience
together with a string in hopes of
making a connection, which is
making energy, which is making
magic, which is making love, etc..,.
Despite the verbal spectacular,
many of the 500 persons in the crowd
came out of curiosity to see the eggs.
Ancient customs claim that during
the spring equinox,, eggs stand on
their heads. That's no small
achievement for an egg, or so we
thought.
But our panel of crack experts,
while investigating a rumor that eggs
need only be shaken to stand,
discovered the truth.
We bought an egg from the Union
snack bar, shook it for several
minutes and voila, a standing egg.
(Be careful not to shake to hard or it
won't work.)
Those of you who have waited for
the miracle of gravity can now take
solace in the fact that a standing egg
is only an ' egg...and a handshake
away.
And that's the bottom line.
Firisbees. jiist one alternative for IboredoinnL
By JEFF PORTERFIELD
When you find yourself digging
through your closet for your flip
flops and resolving to buy another
laundry bag sometime in the near
future, you know it's happened. No
longer do you look out your window
and expect to see a band of
dogsledding Eskimos with a team of
12 undernourished huskies being
pursued by a pack of irate polar
bears. The glaciers have receded from
campus, along with down jackets,
hiking boots and all sense of
academic ambition. They have been
replaced by suntan oil, loud music
and varying degrees of seminudity.
Springtime has come to Chapel Hill.
If you don't know how to throw a
Frisbee, learn. Skimming the plastic
disc over a grassy lawn is as
traditional a campus springtime
recreational activity as premarital
sex, and if you're good enough it can
be almost as fulfilling. The first few
times you try it, you're likely to jam a
finger or two and maybe run into a
tree if you're not looking, but with a
little practice you'll soon be tossing
the thing as adeptly as the next guy.
You will eventually and inevitably
land it in an inaccessible position at
least 40 feet above the ground and
Might to safety outweighs the right to print
By BR YA N WIR WICZ
To hear some journalists and some
journalism professors talk, one would
believe the Constitution consists only of
the First Amendment, that the general
theme of the document is that freedom of
the press shall never, for any reason, to
any degree, be breached. I suggest that
the document's general theme is that the
government shall act for the people to
'protect the people, that the government
must protect the welfare of and assure the
liberty of all Americans. Believing that as
I do. it is difficult, indeed impossible, for
me to understand how any rational
person can defend The Progressive in its
current foolish, opportunistic . and
reckless attempt to publish a "how-to
article on the construction and operation
of hydrogen bombs. Faced with that
magazine's attempt to publish such an
article, the government quite properly
sought to prevent publication of the
article. And a U.S. district judge quite
properly issued a temporary restraining
order blocking publication of "The H
Bomb Secret.
Several syndicated columnists have
sought to draw parallels between the
current case and the 1971 Pentagon
Papers case in which the Supreme Court
upheld the right of the New York Times
and other newspapers to publish the
Pentagon Papers. They charge that
because of the Supreme Court's 1971
decision, the government should never
have sought to prevent publication of
The H-Bomb Secret." There are, 1
believe, at least three significant
differences between the two cases,
d if e rentes which would easily allow the
court to prevent publication of "The H-
letters to the editor
German a
To the editor:
The four-semester foreign language
requirement for business and science
majors is ridiculous. As a B.S. chemistry
major. 1 find German 2 currently
occupies 25 percent of my semester hours.
I have no desire to learn to speak any
foreign language in a classroom situation,
but I'll be forced to endure German for
this semester and two more. 1 really don't
want to wast one-eighth of my
undergraduate education. I'm compelled
to ask whoever made the rule, "Why?"
My two years of the language will be of
minimal help at best in interpreting
German scientific journals. If as much as
25 percent of all scientific articles were
wriUen in German, and if I remembered
most of what I'd learned in Dey Hall
(neither one likely), then I'd be out of luck
most of the time anyway. Translators are
available and relatively inexpensive. I feel
that my time is easily that valuable, and in
the interest of a correct interpretation
would certainly be willing to wait the
' required time.
But here's what really bothers me.
None of the above will have any effect on
my capabilities as a chemist. Does the
General College feel obligated to teach
me painfully inefficient ways to save
time? Two years of work for a one-in-five
chance of saving myself a few weeks every
now and then just isn't smart. I ask
anyone .who agrees to let their respective
departments know it. Let's not be
manipulated by tradition, or worse still,
inactivity. Please give us some credit.
Mike Christman
306 B W. Carr St.
Carrboro
ZDT thanks
To the editor
The brothers of Zeta Beta Tau would
like to thank all of the students and
faculty who helped make the ZBT ninth
annual Mile of Pennies the most
successful ever. With everyone's help, we
probably near a hornet's nest. This
accomplishment indicates that you
have become a pro.
But if Frisbee doesn't appeal to
you, there are countless other ways to
fritter away the precious hours in
self-indulgent procrastination. Some
people just lie around. Seriously.
They're all over the place, browning
themselves in obscenely skimpy attire
and causing traffic accidents right
and left. All this may seem like a
monumental waste of time, but any
sun" worshipper will tell you that it's
actually a highly beneficial activity
that promotes good health, a
pleasant outlook and a rich tan. It
also promotes skin cancer, but you're
Bomb Secret" despite, its 1971 ruling.
First, we ought to think about the
benefits to the society that resulted from a
full and candid discussion of the
Pentagon Papers and the political policy
decisions incorporated therein vs. the
benefits to the society that might result
from a full and candid discussion of an
article that explains how to construct and
explode an H-bomb. I suggest it is
obvious that little benefit and much,
almost unimaginable harm and terror
would result from a discussion of how to
build and detonate an H-bomb. In
comparison, the Pentagon Papers
provided the public, and especially
political scientists, with an invaluable
opportunity to examine how American
policy in Vietnam was formulated, why
disastrous policies and unrealistic goals
were pursued and how government
leaders in the future might be able to
avoid such policy disasters. In short, the
Pentagon Papers stimulated a kind of
meaningful and beneficial discussion in
the society that would likely not have
been stimulated had their topic been the
construction and operation of hydrogen
bombs.
Second, we ought to think about the
kinds of people who were harmed by
publication of the Pentagon Papers vs.
the kinds of people who might be harmed
by publication of "The H-Bomb Secret."
The Pentagon Papers harmed only a
small number of former or current
government officials, men whose policy
recommendations appeared, in
hindsight, to be foolish and whose
policies had long since been discredited
both by the American people and by
history. In the case of The Progressive,
publication of the article might harm
either every American or a substantial
number of Americans, persons who,
unlike those men who helped formulate
waste of time ay chemistry major
km wdmw
"
pa i la
raised more than $2,100 for the APO
Campus Chest and all of its needy
charities. We also would like to thank the
Daily Tar Heel staff and WXYC radio
for their support and publicity. There
were many sororities and fraternities that
generously donated to a very worthy
cause and we are very grateful for their
help. And once again, the members of the
UNC basketball team came out and
enthusiastically helped us to reach our
goal. It is great to see that many people
are willing to give either their time or
money to causes that make ' our
- ,4
'
jr.
2
4 A (
est .S.-sssSs'--'
advised not to tell a sunbather that
unless you enjoy getting hit over the
head with a can of beer. Or a case of
beer.
If you decide to take up sunbathing
yourself, you'll find that it requires
patience, stamina, endurance and
very few clouds. No equipment or
skills are necessary except for a large
towel, a bottle of Coppertone, a book
to read for five minutes and then
abandon and a can of beer.
Or a case of beer.
But wait: There's more. Although
the Frisbee and the sun
unquestionably' dominate the
recreational scene once warm
weather sets in, they are by no means
American policy in Vietnam in the 1960s,
are basically innocent of any immoral or
unwise actions for which they should be
ridiculed or punished. Should the courts
allow publication of "The H-Bomb
Secret, the American people might find
themselves blackmailed by terrorist
groups, might see their government
overthrown and might have the most
basic qualities of their lives changed, and
changed for the worse. In short, the
Pentagon Papers harmed a small number
of political leaders; "The H-Bomb
Secret" poses a threat to millions of
Americans who have done nothing to
deserve to have such a threat thrust upon
them.
Third, we ought to think about the type
of harm suffered by those persons
harmed by the Pentagon Papers vs. the
type of harm likely to be faced by those
persons likely to be harmed by
publication of "The H-Bomb Secret."
The Pentagon Papers harmed a small
group of former government officials
who recognized the fickleness of fame
and the danger to their reputations
inherent in their line of work, setting
national policy. Such harm, I suggest, is
fairly mild: The former officials are
criticized by a few revisionist historians, a
few holier-than-thou current officials and
a few self-serving columnists. They suffer
little else. The article currently under
debate has the potential to harm a
substantial portion of the American
public, people who have not, by and
large, injected themselves into the policy
making process and thus have little
reason to be, or to expect to be, harmed.
And the danger posed by "The H-Bomb
Secret" is much more serious than mere
criticism. The danger posed by that
article is total, the harm absolute. In
short, the Pentagon Papers harm was
minimal while the danger posed by the
community so special. The prospects for
next year look even more promising as we
head toward $2,500 and three miles of
pennies.
Bobby Wainer, chairman
ZBT ninth annual Mile of Pennies
Premature death
To the editor
If Agatha Christie had written The
Murder of Dan Ackroydz. stated by Ann
Smallwood in her review of Agatha
the only pastimes available to 'the
creative and inventive student. You
can sit outside the Union and wait for
the bees to come out of hibernation.
There's a huge concrete pipe behind
Hinton James Dorm that runs for
countless miles into the bowels of the
earth and is rumored to surface near
an isolated village in the mountains
of Tibet. Explore it. If you're really
bored, start attending classes again.
Sure, it's rough, but at least it's
something to break the humdrum,
day-to-day routine.
If you're genuinely concerned with
social reform (as so few of us are
these days, the political climate of the
'70s being as it isthe weather is great
for demonstrations, sit-ins and other
acts of civil disobedience. It may not
be possible to convince Bill Friday to
stop quibbling and admit he's wrong,
but a good' try couldn't hurt.
Whatever you decide to do, the
general atmosphere currently
prevalent on campus (i.e., "nothing
matters") should keep you drifting
right along on the tide of celebration
and revelry and blissful contentment
that accompanies the greening of
Chapel Hill until you remember that
finals are coming up and you stop
dead. Until then, though, enjoy.
Jeff Porterfield is a sophomore
journalism major from Burlington.
article The Progressive is maximal.
On the basis of these three significant
differences between the two cases, 1 feel
wholly comfortable in suggesting the
Pentagon Papers represented no
imminent danger to the national security.
Their publication was an embarrassment
to President Nixon and other present and
former government officials'. President
Nixon's efforts to prevent their
publication resulted frpm his desire not to
be embarrassed, not to be "pushed
around" by the "liberal Eastern media
establishment." His reasons were not
grounded in a sincere ploy to prevent
embarrassment.
In the present case, however, it is clear
the stakes are much larger than one man's
public image. On the basis of the three
differences I have cited, one can see that
elements of national security are involved
in the current case, that the government is
motivated by a desire, indeed an
obligation, to prevent the public from
being needlessly threatened or worse.
While the Pentagon Papers represented
only a mild threat to the reputations of a
small segment of the national population,
publication of "The H-Bomb Secret"
threatens the lives of all Americans. And
because the publication of that article
represents a threat to us all, the
government wisely has intervened on our
behalf.
Those who would support publication
of an article that can have only negative
effects on our society are not just
misguided. Worse, they are irresponsible.
I am hoping, praying, that the Supreme
Court is composed of nine responsible
men.
Bryan Wirwicz is a senior journalism
and political science major from Raleigh.
(March 16), millions of Saturday Night
fans would have had to settle for only six
Not Ready For Prime Time Players. Not
to mention how upset Mr. and Mrs.
Ackroyd would have been at losing their
son before birth. On the other hand, if
Dan had suffered his premature death
before birth at the pen of Ms. Christie,
then Tom Snyder would have been
spared becoming NBCs late-night comic.
(Yeah, Sure, Uh-huh, Right.!
Janet C. Harvey
Tracy M. Drach
709 James