xt71c53f1p6s https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt71c53f1p6s/data/mets.xml The Kentucky Kernel Kentucky -- Lexington The Kentucky Kernel 1977-11-07 Earlier Titles: Idea of University of Kentucky, The State College Cadet newspapers  English   Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. The Kentucky Kernel  The Kentucky Kernel, November 07, 1977 text The Kentucky Kernel, November 07, 1977 1977 1977-11-07 2020 true xt71c53f1p6s section xt71c53f1p6s  

Volume LXIX. Number 57
Monday. November 7. 1971

 
 

KENTUCKY

21‘

  

an independent student newspaper

Voters will decide mayor,
UCC members tomorrow

By KEN KAGAN
Kernel Staff Writer

Tomorrow. the voters in
Lexington-Fayette County will elect
a new mayor, a new Urban County
Council, new judges. sheriff, jailor
and state representatives.

There are 89,000 registered voters,
but only about half are expected to
turn out to vote.

The most exciting race tomorrow
will be between Joe Graves and Jim
Amato for mayor, a contest which
heated up considerably in the last
two months.

A recent poll. published by the
Lexington Leader. indicated that
Amato enjoys a substantial lead
over Graves, 53 per cent to 29 per
cent.

Dr. John Patterson, professor of
political science at UK and con-
sultant for the Leader poll,
cautioned that not all those who
stated a preference would actually
turn out to vote.

Graves said last week that his own
polling has indicated the race will be
significantly closer. and that it is in
fact too close to call.

One of the main focuses of Graves’
campaign has been the involvement
by Gov. Julian Carroll in the race.
Carroll several months ago said he
would prefer having Amato as
mayor.

Graves said the reason for his
concern about Carroll’s involvement
is that Amato, who was a pointed
commissioner of the A coholic
Beverage Control Commission

We goofed

Steve Oechsli, who designed the
winning entry in the Student
Government logo contest. says he
was misquoted in Friday's Kernel.
The quote said. “It’s more than a
refined doodle.” 0echlsi, who ad-
mitted that he didn't say it clearly,
said the quote should’ve read. “It’s
no more than a refined doodle."

 

With _a leaf-less gingko tree loomln
(with gingko leaf in lapel) offers his

Willy Gates. the
Ginglto:" Steve Schwartz.

Williams. who delivered a brief

 

Festive ging

Sunday. The festival is an annual event honoring one of the oldest trees in
the country. Also appearing at the festival were Master of Ceremonies
"Grand High Gingk." who offered hls
who watered the tree with the ornamental
pitcher; Kathy Staats. an ice sculptress who crowned
a wreath on one of its branches; and James Douglas MacArthur
lecture on
between the earth’s surface and the sun.

(ABC) by Carroll, would be indebted
to the governor should he win.

Amato was nearl elected in 1973,
and in fact was dec ared the winner.
A faulty election booth was
discovered, and after a lengthy
court battle. Foster Pettit was
declared the winner by 54 votes.

The campaigns for seats on the
Urban County Council have received
far less attention. There have been
no remarkable issues raised. and on
the whole, the campaigns have been
rather polite.

Most of the attention will be
focused on the three at~large seats,
from which the vicemayor will be
chosen. There are six candidates.

Don Blevins, 10th District
representative, is giving up his seat
to run for an at-large seat. He will
face Edgar Wallace, Ann Ross, Carl
Hoot Combs, Jim Todd and George
Herman Kendall. Blevins, Wallace
and Ross are favored to win seats.

Only two of the Urban County
Council District races have
generated much heat—the second
and third districts.

In the second, incumbent Robert
Finn, who has received the en-
dorsement of mayor Foster Pettit,

has faced a bitter challenge from
John Wigginton, a UK graduate
student.

In the third, incumbent Bill
Bingham faces stiff opposition from
former council representative Joe
Jasper, whom he defeated in 1975.
One of Jasper’s main campai n
issues has been his op sition to the
destruction of South Hi I. The Kernel
has endorsed Jasper (see page two).

Six district court judges also will
be elected. In the third division.
Anthea Mary Boarman is running
against Mike Roney, who is running
as part of the “Vote Six" slate.

A controversy arose in September
when Fayette County Legal Aid
director Clyde Simmons, who is
married to Boarman, was fired. A
copyrighted story in the Kernel said
that Boarman's campaign against
Roney was a factor in Simmons‘s
firing.

P0 is open tomorrow at 6 am. and
close at 6 pm. Results should be
tabulated by midnight, althou h
early returns normally indicate t e
pattern.

To find out where to vote (for those
already registered), call the
registrar of voters at 255-7563.

 

MAYOR
State Sen. Joe Graves
James G. Amato

URBAN COUNTY COUNCIL AT—
LARGE

Edgar Wallace

Ann Ross

Donald Blevins

Jim Todd

Carl Hoot Combs

George Herman Kendall

URBAN
DISTRICTS

COUNTY COUNCIL

Third District
Joe Jasper
Bill Bingham ( inc.)

Fourth District
Anne Gabbard
Paul Schuette

  
  
     

.0.’

v

g in the background. Greg Hofellch.
thoughts during the Gingho Festival
“Ode to the
the tree by placing
the relationship of the space

 

 

Fifth District
Kenneth Clevidence
Mary Mangione ( inc.)

STATE SENATE

Twelfth Senate District

Larry Hopkins (Rep)

Julian W. Knippenberg (Dem)

DISTRICT JUDGES
Paul Gudgel

Perry Southard
Anthea Mary Boarman
Mike Roney

John Famularo
Tom Underwood
Don Paris

Julia Tackett
Anthony Todd
Charles Williamson

Kernel Endorsements are on page 2

 
 

From trouncing Vandy

Rain can’t stop the UK machine

By DAVID HIBBITTS
Sports Editor

NASHVILLE. Tenn.—-And the
machine rolls on.

Neither fumbles nor penalties nor
gloom of a rainy afternoon can stop
the Kentucky football express from
completin its business each
Saturday a ternoon. Only the score,
28-6 over Vanderbilt two days ago,
fluctuates slightly.

For once again, the UK defense
held its op ent in the first half
while the of ense was bein detained
by miscues, yellow han kerchiefs
and wet footballs.

In the past four weeks, Kentucky
has outscored its opposition by the
incredible total of 126-19. An the
word that seemed to pervade Dudley
Field’s drenched capacity crowd
Saturday was “powerful” in
describing this Wildcat team.

If it had not been for dropped
footballs by Mike Siganos and
Derrick Ramsey in the first half, the
margin would have been much
greater in the latest cut on the

roken record Kentucky seems to be
playing.

But Wildcat fans (almost 20.000
who were noticeably vocal with their

chants of “Go Big Blue” whenever
the Cats were ap roaching the
Vandy goal line) c d listen to that
record forever.

Vanderbilt head coach Fred
Pancoast, who raised his own
team’s effort, a mitted after the

ame. “We just at beat by a great
ootball team to ay. Kentucky is the
best team I’ve seen in this league in
a long time.

“It could have been worse. Their
defense is the best one I’ve ever seen
in college football."

In the other locker room, Fran
Curci. glad to be out of his wet shirt
and jacket, was basking in the
realization of how far this team has
come. “I thought it was a hard-
hitting, tough game,” he aid. “I
think the breaks starting switching
in the second half."

Curci also had an explanation for
Kentucky's first-half bout with tur-
novers. “The excitement of the
people around the motel presents
distractions,” he said. “At home we
don’t have to go through all that.”

However, the predominance of
blue in the crowd undoubtedly
Isailflled onto the field in the second

21

After the first-half mistakes and
Joe Br ant's 55-yard field goal at-
temptt at hit the crossbar. bounced
about five feet straight up in the air
and fell back into the end zone,
Kentucky‘s luck was due for a
change.

Ramse . the man who more
an one eIse makes this team click.
is coming more unstoppable each
week. On the first play 0 the second
half, Ramsey tucked the ball away
and skirted outside for a 39-yard
gain to the Vandy 41. His play set up

e touchdown and two-point con-
version that gave UK an in-
surmountable 14-6 lead.

Another key player who paved the
way for Ramsey’s best runmng
game of the year (111 yards in 16
carries) was offensive guard Tom
Dornbrook.

Dombrook had the assignment of
blocking Vandy’s preseason All-
American selection, defensive
tackle Dennis Harrison. “1 think
Dombrook held his own." Curci
said. “Dombrook is our best of-
fensive lineman. I hope he makes
all-conference."

Curci also noted that Dombrook

l'niwrsity of Kentucky
Lexington. Kentucky

 
  
   
 
  
 
 
   
  
  
   
  
 

Warm

it embrace,

victory
chase

liar) Herman and his
nife, Terry, provide
their own warmth
during a rainy UK-
Vanderbilt football
game Saturday. The two
are 1974 UK grads from
Louisville. Below. UK
fans in the streets of
Nashville proclaim
Kentucky‘s dominance.

-Davld O'Neil

 

was so quick in coming off the signal
count that he was called for being in
motion twice. “I didn‘t really think
that l was offside," Dombrook said.
“He (Harrison) was a little hurt and
that helped us quite a bit.”

Noseguard Richard Jaffe and
defensive end Art Still had answers
for Kentucky’s fallingI behind before
eliminating the first alf jitters and
kinks. “The offensive line looks for
us to stabilize the game b
neutralizing the other team‘s o -
tense." Jaffe said.

"We shut off their running game
(only four yards total) in t e first
half. A team can‘t win just throwing
the ball.“

Even though Vanderbilt's quar-
terback Mike Wright. who hit 20 of 32
passes for 197 yards, had an ex-
ceptional game. e just did not have
the other essential offersive weapons
to complement his talents.

“He (Wright) was a pretty ood
quarterback overall.“ Still sai .

“A couple of the (referees’) calls
were pretty bad. Some teams can
make mistakes and let them get the
best of them. But it‘s a four uarter
game. We come back and go arder
as it goes on."

 

~10day

nation

AT LEAST 37 PERSONS. most of them students and their
families asleep at a small Bible college. died early yesterday
when an earthen dam burst and sent a 30~foot wall of water

through the college campus.

The breakup of the dam at about 1:30 am. sent tons of

water over wefoot-high Toccoa Falls onto the lower campus
of Toccoa Falls Bible College. where some 250 people lived in
dormitories. houses andd mobile homes at the foot of the

falls.

SEN. WENDELL FORD (D-KY). predicts it will take all
month for House and Senate conferees to work out a bill for a

national energy program.

"We probably won't vote on the final package until the first

of December.” Ford said.

The conference committee begins allday sessions today to
try to hammer out a bill agreeable to both chambers.
Ford. the only Kentucky member, has cancelled a trip to

Panama so he can take part.

:v""" ., a

state

THREE Nil-IN WERE KILLEDand a young boy was in-
jured yesterday when an oil storage tank exploded near
Henderson. Ky . state police said.

The explosion occurred at 2: 15 pin. CST as the men tried to
weld a pipe that ran from the tank to another one nearby.
said Trooper John Snow. He said the force of the explosion

hurled the tank 100 feet.

Snow said the victims owned the two tanks, as well as a
third nearby. but that their names would not be released until

relatives had been notified.

weather

(‘ONSllH-IRABIJC (‘l.0l'l)lNl-ISS and a 40 per cent chance
of showers today. lligh in the low-70‘s. Showers ending
tonight with a low in the 60‘s. Partly cloudy and continued
mild on Tuesday. High in the low- to mid-70's.

(‘ompiled from Associated Press dispatches

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

. The choice between Jim
1 Amato and Joe Graves in the
Lexington mayoral race is a
tough one, because their
stands and priorities are
similar. But because of his
greater responsiveness to
3 problems such as low-income
1 housing, and greater claim to
3 being independent from
‘ outside interests, Joe Graves
‘ should be elected.

j Graves, a Republican, has
1 frequently played upon the
‘ influence Gov. Julian Carroll
2 and the state Democratic
‘ machine might wield over
‘ Amato, a Democrat who was
appointed state Alcoholic
Beverage Commissioner by
Carroll.

It is unclear how much
pressure the Democrats could
bring to bear upon Amato, or
how much influence there
1 would be once the governor’s
1 term expires. Certainly some
1 shrill attacks made by the

Graves campaign are no
' credit to the Graves can-
* didacy.
j What is important is that

local government remains
separate from a state party
organization, and separate
‘ from any hint of misfeasance.
; The effect of personal service
1 contracts given to friends,
campaign contributions from
developers and from labor
; unions (with whom the Urban
1 County Government may soon
have to negotiate) are all

Joe Graves is”
the best choice

negative points in the Amato
campaign.

There are more positive-

reasons to vote for Graves. He
has pledged to seek more low
and moderate-income
housing, probably through the
use of Kentucky Housing
Corporation funds, a promise
that is important to many UK
students because of the city‘s
severe housing shortage.

Although Amato was the
first to introduce the issue of
UK’s funding into the cam-
paign, Graves has said that he
is also concerned about the
University's funding and
would assist its efforts to
obtain adequate support. It’s
interesting that Amato, who
plays down his connection
with state government,
suggests that his voice would
have clout during the spring
budget wars in Frankfort.

Graves has been a career-
long champion of liberal or
progressive causes in a dif-
ficult locale for that type of
involvement. He opposed the
Red River Dam at an early
date and has backed the Equal
Rights Amendment.

Graves has also served as
president of a corporation
which provided housing for
the elderly, pledged to install
a strong Affirmative Action
program and hired the city’s
first black salesman at a
major retail store. That step
may seem only touching and

  

.ItiI-Iiilt\\l~1\'

even tokenistic now. but it was
a bold move in 1957 Lexington.

Graves was one of the
founders and a president of
the Citizens Association for
Planning, and has promised to
restore order to the city’s
haphazard, runaway growth.

Although Amato has also
recognized the problem and
has pledged a revision of the
Master Growth Plan, Graves’
more convincing in-
dependence from developers
and long-standing espousal of
neighborhood rehabilitation
and establishment of historic
districts are points in his
favor.

Both candidates have
campaigned on similar stands
for many other issues, and
they have pledged a great
deal. If the winner can deliver
anything approaching what he
has promised, than Lexington
will have benefited im-
mensely. Because of his in-
dependence, recognition of the
city’s problems and
dedication to solving them,
Joe Graves should have that
chance.

‘ editorials 8: comments

 

Editor-trolls!

News Editor

('alsl Photographer (“an Editors
Save Bailing. Suzanne Durham Hill Kilhl
,Iuolth Egsr ton
Managing 54“., Associate Editor \porh Editor um Funk
Dick (“mm Marie M‘lt‘hr“ David Hibbitu Betsy Pearce
Phil Rutledge
“mum Editor Stall A: flat Arts Editor
J“, Kemp William Frigate Than-s Clark

 

 

Jasper, Gabbard, Clevidence
supported in district races

Most of the attention in this year’s local
election has been centered on the mayor's race
and precious little on the race for seats on the
Urban County Council.

While it’s understandable, because there are
only two candidates to choose between as op-
posed to about 20 in the council races, it's un—
fortunate for several reasons.

By far the most important is that Lexington—
Fayette Co. is really run by the Urban County
Council, rather than the mayor. The mayor
provides symbolic leadership, but decisions
affecting our daily lives, like the rehabilitation of
downtown, sewage and housing rest with the
Council. .

Average citizens have had little if any contact
with the mayor in recent years, but it is fairly
easy to contact council representatives, and
each citizen’s input carries more weight when
presented to the council.

Great issues face Lexington in the next few
years. Decisions must be made on the amount of
growth we’re willing to tolerate, and whether or
not we want an urban government which in-
trudes into our private lives, in such areas as
literature and the arts.

For this reason, it is essential to elect
responsive candidates, aware of the problems
faced by the student community, the neigh-
borhoods and the city as a whole.

We have decided to involve ourselves in the
races which have the most direct bearing on the
university community, and neighborhoods which
have a sizeable student population, the third,
fourth and fifth districts.

The Third District has been represented for
the last two years by William (Bill) Bingham,
executive director of the Council of Neigh-
borhood Organizations.

During his tenure, the South Hill neighborhood
was torn down, and poor planning caused the
dislocation of its citizens in order to construct an
already inadequate parking lot. He then ac-
cepted an appointment from mayor Foster Pettit
to the Civic Center Board. We feel Bingham has
shown an insensitivity to his constituents.

For that reason, we endorse his opponent, Joe
Jasper. Jasper fought for South Hill, and has
said that although people cannot be prevented
from moving to Lexington, city government does
not have to actively invite large industries here,
which bring with them thousands of workers.

Jasper wrote the legislation which provided
ramps for the handicapped in downtown during
his tenure on the council from 1973—75, and looked
after the needs of his constituents. We urger his
election.

The Fourth District has no incumbent. We
recommend Anne Gabbard, who has involved
herself in neighborhood activities, and who, as a
UK research assistant in sociology, will be more
in touch with the needs of the university com-
munity.

Her opponent, Paul Schuette, owns the Kelly-
Borden dairy, and has said that government is a
business and should be run like one, by a
businessman. We feel business interests on the
council have been far too dominant.

The Fifth District has been represented by
Mary Mangione, and we feel it is time for a
change.

Ken Clevidence, her opponent, is working on a
master’s degree in Urban Geography at UK and
is a teaching assistant. We feel his experience in
that field, in addition to his daily contact with
university concerns, will be a valuable asset on
the council, and we endorse his candidacy.

 

pun,

 

Lexington government wastes

 

 

i

Constitution needs revision ,.

With a large number of candidates vying for
the many local government positions in
tomorrow’s election, a voter might be tempted to
forget the measure calling for a constitutional
convention.

if it is forgotten, the fight to replace Ken-
tucky's antiquated constitution would be over, at
least temporarily. That would be a step back-
ward for Kentucky, because the constitution
badly needs fundamental change, and it is im-
perative that the measure pass.

If approved, the convention of 100 delegates
will meet next November to begin preparing
recommended revisions, which are sorely
needed to upgrade the government and law in
Kentucky.

Opponents of revision, such as Lt. Gov.
Thelma Stovall, argue that a new constitution, or
substantive alteration of the existing one, would
be too expensive or too complicated to be wor-
thwhile. Through amendment, they say, any
needed changes can be made.

Anti-revisionists also think that it isn’t safe to
try a new constitution, that unscrupulous
delegates will write dozens of hidden, self-
serving provisos that will make state govern-
ment unresponsive and over expensive.

Such a document would be as bad as the
constitution Kentucky has now.

The present system of amendment makes

Kentucky's supreme law the most restricted
constitution in the U.S. Only a few states limit
the number of amendments which can be voted
on at one time, and Kentucky's two-amendment
ante is the lowest of them all.

The Commonwealth's state legislature is
perhaps the nation’s weakest because of imposed
limits. Not only do the law makers have an ab-
surdly short 60-day term each two years, the
legislature is prevented from taking a mid-
session break to sound out constituents on the
bills and conduct research.

Another problem caused by the detail in the old
constitution is the limit on state employees’
salaries. The 1890 document found $5,000 to be
adequate annual compensation and efforts to
raise it have often been defeated. Only the
“rubber dollar” decision of the state Supreme
Court made it possible for salaries to keep up
with inflation.

Similar decisions are common in the history of
a state which had to function under a document
written during the industrial revolution. There is
no way to comprehend what Kentucky law really
is without understanding every court decision
that was needed to twist an archaic restriction
into a workable arrangement.

The state should not have to survive under the
kind of circumstances the current constitution
imposes, though, and the public deserves a
chance to look at an alternative.

Wallace and Ross merit
at—Iarge council seats

Ann Ross and Edgar Wallace have been in-
VOIVed in service to the people of Fayette County
for many years and are the candidates who will
serve best as members of the Council-at-large.

Wallace has been an insurance agent in
Fayette County since 1986 and a real estate
broker since 1975. In those jobs and in his 11
years of campaign work at the precinct level,
Wallace has become well-known in many
segments of the community as a man with a real
appreciation of the problems that most concern
the people of the county.

Wallace’s involvement in politics includes
extensive work in his father’s 1009 campaign for
the state legislature in what was then the 55th
district. (Cal Wallace lost that race narrowly to
William Kenton.)

In conducting his campaign, Wallace has
placed emphasis on such issues as controlled
growth, land-use planning, housing and greater
attention to human services. He has called for
special attention to the problems facing
juveniles and the aged in the areas of health,
mental health and social services.

Wallace has also made public his opposition to

a proposal that the UCC spend $20 million to
build a new government building.

Ann Ross, who studied psychology at UK in the
late fifties, has been involved for the past four
years in developing Ask Us, Inc., a human
service organization “designed to bridge the gap
between people with problems and community
organizations that can provide solutions.”

Prior to her work with Ask Us, Ross was very
active in community organizations oriented to
affecting change within the community. She has
served on the state level as chairman of the
Department of International Affairs of the
Kentucky Federation of Women.

“1 think the council needs to create new
channels in communication between the UCC
and the people. People tend to shy away from the
government because it seems so large and im-
personal...we need to make the government
more accessible to the people.” Ross said.

Ross is also vehemently opposed to the
proposed government building expenditure. She
and Wallace both favor examination of the
suitability of existing structures for such use.

 

time by legislating morality

In the closing months of the
election season, Lexington politics
has taken a decidedly conservative
turn. Call it coincidence, call it pure
re-election contrivances; it doesn‘t
matter.

What does matter is that
Lexington. while attempting to

tag-r
‘ .,«...:. 3‘
_ (4-4,; ,
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«,x
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ken
kagan

 

 

acquire big-city trappings, still
possesses a small-town mentality.

Our civic leaders, (l refuse to call
them “city fathers”) in their
des rate scramble to obtain votes
an avoid offending the Bible vote,
disgraced the city and the concept of
artistic and literary freedom by
arresting the cast of “Oh! Calcut-
ta‘.“ after allowing the audience to
see two performances (presumably
to allow the Opera House to turn a
profit) and by rushing through the
Urban County Council an antiquated
anti-porno raphy ordinance which
undoubted y wil be thrown out of
court in an intelligent challenge.

l'm one 0 those people not from
Lexington, not from Kentucky, in
fact, who has adopted the Blue rass,
and unlike a recent author of a etter
to the Kernel, I love it here.

 

it just frustrates the hell out of me,
though, that there is such an ob-
session here with legislating
morality. Lexington wants con-
ventions, sporting events, cultural
events, and the business community
can't understand why there is a
reticence to build the needed hotel
space, and why conventions think
twice about coming to Lexington.

Why do people go to conventions?
Sure they spend a few hours a day
talking about tractors and surgical
techni ues and sales quotas, but
basica ly they come to raise hell.

You can‘t raise hell in Lexington.
Bars close early, you can’t drink in
public on Sunday. Now they‘re
making it difficult for a good ol’ boy
from Monkey‘s Eyebrow to look at
dirty books and see a burlesque
production which shows a little “tits
n ass."

And why? Because there’s this
incredible puritanism here, which
focuses all the energy needed for
constructive social welfare
programs into crusades against vice
which don’t help anything.

With all of Lexin ton's pressing
needs, like alcohol a use programs
and a half—way house for women, a
juvenile detention facility and
adequate low-income housing, (I
could go on and on) our enlightened
legislators spend their time and our
money suspending normal rules and
forcing action on unneeded pon-
tification.

We need a new direction now. We

must stand up in our indignation and
tell our government we don't like the
demagogic course it has taken. And
there's another alternative: throw
them out.

Tuesday is election day, and the
incumbent council members will
have to face the music. The vote on
the anti-porn ordinance was 15-0.
The Kernel is endorsin candidates
from the third, fourt and fifth
districts, those that involve UK or a
sizeable student population, and
none of the three are incumbents,
nor are our two at-large en-
dorsements.

There‘s a reason for this. We're
sick and tired of the same old crap
coming out of the Municipal
Building. We‘re tired of useless
moralizing and the sacrifice of
human needs in the interest of
downtown businesses (and by the
way, is Hyatt Regency money going
to stay in Fayette County? Of course
not, it goes to the main treasury in
Burlingame, California! ).

Be sure to vote on Tuesday. I hope
you‘ll let the incumbents know your
disRleasure. And let’s all rise up in
rig teous indignation at the puritan
bent which intrudes into our lives
and dictates the kind of arts and
literature we may enjoy.

Ken Kagan's has covered local
politics since January, and his
column appears whenever his bile
rises. He felt particularly bilious last
weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

---o%—nmn~~ygo

9.~~' -..,.~ ...~

 

 

 

  

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DemonStrationu. Iranian group to protest Shah's visit

Is American foreign policy
Vietnam proof“! Or are the
same circumstances that led
to the Vietnam debacle likely
to repeat themselves.‘

A recent report. ”U.S.

 

Military Sales to Iran."
released by the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee
indicates that a very similar
set of circumstances is
developing in the case of Iran.

For one thing there is the
size of the U.S. aims sales of
$5.5 billion to Iran. The rest of
the world gives Iran $4 4
billion. Since 1972 the report
concludes U.S. policy has
been to "let Iran btiy
anything it wanted,“

While arms sales have
“created a bonanza for US.
weapons manufacturers"
they have also led to the,
commitment of at least 27.000

Arms trade is

American advisors. This
number is expected to grow to
(er.000 by I9lil as lran
acquiics the l“~lti or Eli! and
Al't'll’S aircraft and the
Spinance ('lass destroyer.
’l'lie coiiiiiiiltce politts out

Cmntary

more or less that the problem
or selling such weapons
systems to an un-
derdeveloped semi feudal
country such as Iran is
because the armed forces of
liati are not capable of
maintaining or operating the
system

For this. support from the
Pentagon and :ltillSOI‘S are
needed. Ar: the report points
out:

“The lran case demon
strates tliat when the US.
sells major weapons to a non-
industrial state. it is. in ef-
fect. entering into a long-term

$5.5 billion

commitment to provide
support for the weapons...
there is no such thing as ‘a
nonbinding‘ arms sales
agreement. Even if the U.S.
were to play no adr
ministrative role in forcing
military sales. i.e. rely on the
private sector for im-
plementing arms sales. U.S.
personnel and inevitably the
U.S. government would be
involved."

The committee stresses
that Iran‘s military would be
completely helpless without
l'S. help on a “day-to-day
basis "

In the can of a combat
situation “whether this would
mean front-line. i.e. base
level. participation by
uniformed US. military
personnel or rear line in-
volvement by American
official or contractor per-
sonnel would depend upon to
the weapons used and the
duration and intensity of the

conflict.“

Even more interesting than
the report itself are some of
the conclusions which the
report does not spell out.

For example. the Foreign
Relations Committee
assumes that it is somehow in
the interes of U.S. policy to
provide all out support for the
fascist government of the
Shah.

the report looks at the
situation in Iran as a series of
technical problems in crisis
management. But there is
much more to the situation
than this.

We live in an era of national
liberation struggles. an era
when the oppressed peoples
in the third world countries
are rising up and demanding
the end of foreign exploitation
of themselves and a new
political and economic order.

The history of Vietnam,
(.‘ambodia. Algeria. Korea
and other countries proves

U.S. backs Shah's regime

The Shah of Iran will make
a state visit to the U S on
Nov. 15 and 16.

According to the US
sources. he will be here to
conclude some arms conraets
with the American govern—
ment. He comes here at a
time when utmost political
repression rages in Iran

Apart from extreme
repression, the majority of
Iranian people presently live
in abject conditions. Lack of
food. shelter. health and
education are prevalent all
over the country. both in
rural and urban areas.

enjoys mass support.

.‘iccording t0 Kayhan In-
ternational (Iranian official
dailyr. Moslems have staged
militant demonstrations
during the past two weeks at
Tehran University. Chem
and itay. a small township
near Tehran. which has been
ptli to blood by who: and
SAVAK atrocities. A total of
13 people have been killed in
these demonstrations by
police.

Today in Iran. all human
rights are denied to the
people. The Shah‘s puppet
regime. directly backed by

 

» commentary

All of this is due to the
Shah‘s treacherous and anti-
people policies; merely
geared towards military
build—up and expansion of the
internal repressive ap~
partuses.

Because of her rich natural
resources. especially oil. and
its location in the Gulf area.
Iran has been of great iri—
terest to US. Imperialism.
This is why the US. govern-
ment has sent more than $17
billion of sophisticated
weapons and tens of
thousands of military per-
sonnel to Iran (nearly 40.000.
according to U.S. sources; to
keep the Shah in power and
secure America immense
economic. political and
military interests.

The Shah's regime. now
being the U.S. strongest
watchdog. not only sup-
presses the lraian people but
also carries the mission of
suppressing other liberation
movements in the whole
Middle East region.

The people‘s response to
economic deprivation and
political repression has
continuosly been militant
opposition to the Shah‘s hated
rule. The people's struggle
against this U.S.-backed
police state includes those
from all walks of life.

Workers. peasants.
students. intellectuals and
Moslem leaders all struggle
against the