Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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JIM FARRELL EDI'W LUCETA JONES DAVE LUNDGREN MAkfAGOVG ]ED .AD. NNOR. EDITORIALS Healthy move In a Governmental report In Tuesday's Columbia State, it was reported that the Governor's Advisory Commission on Human Relations was debating whether they should go to the legislature with a request for the power which the commission now lacks, to handle complaints of discrimination. If the commission were to do this, many of the problems in this state would be aleviated rapidly and with better results. The commission has found some problem getting access to records of state agancies which might help to show some evidence of employee's complaints of discrimination. With the power to handle such complaints, the commission will help wipe out so much of the redtape that faces anyone who has a complaint, and it will also enable complaints of this nature to go to the state courts instead of directly to the federal courts. This proposal of the commission would give it the power to subpeena witnesses and records to relate to any of the complaints. It would also make provision for the charging of a misdemeanor to anyone who impeded the workings of this commission. We feel this would be an excellent move of the com mission and would stop so much of the long hard fights to try and get a complaint through the many ihannels they now must travel. Good chow We would like to commend the University Dining Ser vices for the improved service offered to the students this year. The food has Improved along with the service and the personnel. Bob Mahon, the director of the food service, has taken a genuine Interest in the complaints of the students and the suggestions that have been voiced by the student clientel. The managing staff has also Iniproved the relationship with the buying student. The "People Pleasers" have been very pleasing to say the least. Congratulations in hopes of continued good service to students. W'r'V Mti I'M 9HW/71N& 1NIE &Q AG I LAEAW Our times Vote By SMITH HEMPSTONE Caansnist No American who both cares about the Constitution and takes his religion seriously, be he Christian, Jew or Moslem, can be very happy about what the House of Representatives may do on Monday. For that is the day upon which the House will vote on a proposed constitutional amendment which would overturn 1962 and 1963 Supreme Court decisions banning organized prayer in public schools. Having obtained the necessary 218 signatures for the discharge petition allowing H.J. Res. 191 to bypass Rep. Emanuel Celler's Judiciary Committee, where the proposal had been bottled up for eight years, it is at least even money that the proposed amend ment will receive the required assent of two-thirds of those present and voting to sent it on to the Senate. We are, after all, moving into an election year, and no Congressman is anxious to vote against God, although one might observe that the Deity is no more at the disposal of Rep. Chalmers P. Wylie, R Ohio, the amendment's sponsor, than at that of the Supreme Court. The proposed amendment to the First Amendment states: "Nothing contained in this Constitution shall abridge the right of persons lawfully assembled, in any public building which is supported in whole or in part through the expenditure of public -Lettej Representative would like to help SCPIRG MR. FARRELL: I have read, with a great deal of interest, the proposal of the students on your campus to bring about an organization that would be dedicated to the protection of the consumer. The Nader concept, according to the press, is the intent of the group and, if that be the case, I would like to be of some help. I have long advocated a con sumer protection branch of the State Attorney General's Office, and have introduced legislation along those lines which would encompass a fair trade practice. I don't know of what assistance I might provide, but at least I would like to let the students know that from a legislative standpoint if matters are properly investigated and faults are found, hopefully, I would be able to bring about legislative reforms which would correct the errors brought about by inefficiency or deception on the part of some producers. I will do everything I possibly can to be of assistance. JOHN W. JENRETTE, JR. DEMOCRA T FROM HORRY COUNTY United Nations commits 'crime' MR. FARRELL: On the night of October 25, 1971, the United Natins committed a against G funds, to participate in non denominational prayer." Sounds innocent enough, doesn't it? But what constitutes a "non denominational" prayer? Such a "prayer," as one wag has pointed out, would have to begin with the phrase, "to whom it may con cern." In short, if a prayer were made truly nondenominational, it would become meaningless and the net effect would be to dilute rather than to enhance reverence for God and respec( for the various denominations. And in this respect it is worth noting that 38 religious leaders and organizations are on record as, opposing the proposed amend ment. These include the American Baptist Convention, the Baptist General Conference, the North American Baptist Conference, the executive council of the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Church of the Brethren, the Lutheran Church in America, the United Presbyterian Church, the Unitarian-Universalist Association, the Churches of Christ, the Mennonites and a variety of Jewish groups. The opposition of the churches to the proposed amendment centers on the fact that, as they correctly observe, it "could destroy the integrity of both church and state." For somebody, if the amend ment passes both the House and the Senate and is approved by the es to the ( shameful and ninardly crime. In one vote the UN swept away its facade of impartiality and revealed a biased, calculating conglomeration of self serving nations. By an overwhelming majority, the UN voted to seat Communist China, but at the same time voted also to expel Nationalist China; Nationalist China, which pays more toward the upkeep of the UN than Albania,. Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia cdmbined. (Human Events, Oct. 23, 1971, pg. 20.) Senate (Continued from page 1) Rierson proceeded to say that the Supreme Court did uphold the petitions and that the elections will be reconducted within this fall semester. The executive council is now working on more legitimate procedures for future elections. Other bills passed concerned the complete withdrawal of one senate rule and the amendment of two senate rules dealing with the procedure handling bills and resolutions coming out of com mittee. A bill packet establishing a student court of Appeals and four District Courts was also brought before the Senate. A motion was passed, however, to consider those bills at the top of the call of the calendar at the next meeting. This action was taken since the bills were not made available to the Senate with sufficient time for the Senators to read and consider the proposedenatents of the bills required three-fourths of the states' legislatures, is going to have to draw up that prayer. Who will that "somebody" be? In all likelihood, it would be local school bards. If the school board happens to have an overwhelming majority of Catholics on it, will that "non denominational" prayer contain a reference to the Virgin Mary, and how will that sit with fun damentalist Protestant children who happen to attend schools under the board's jurisdiction? What if the situation is reversed and the prayer composed is alien to Catholics? What about Jewish children? Assuming that every school board in the United States went out of its way to care for the sensitivity of minority groups-and that is a sweeping assumption not justified by a reading of history-what would be the effect? Would the bland, meaningless prayers they would compose not constitute (in violation of the First Amendment) establishment of a "religion" of nonsectarian secularism? There is indeed a place in our national life for prayer. Never has there been a greater need in men's lives for the great truths taught by all the world's major faiths. But the mystery and majesty of religion is too precious a gift to be dealt out by rote at recess like milk and cookies. COPYRIGHT 1971 THE WASHINGTON STAR ditor Abandoned by her so-called "Allies," the United States saw its last measure for the preservation of Taiwan's General Assembly seat go down the proverbial drain. This is not to say that I feel that Red China should not be represented in this world body. Seven hundred and fifty million people can not be ignored. Nor should fourteen million be turned out. This act by the UN can be classified only as base hypocricy. The United States should now reassess its own position and the feasibility of maintaining a communist-propaganda organ In New York. Perhaps the best course the US could follow would be to oust the remaining members of the UN from our shore and turn the building over to an industry related to the function of this world organization. Like a fertilizer producer. PHIL FLYNN, III 'Ms.' should be Gamecock policy MR. FARRELL: I was pleased to see In the Nov. I Gamecock story on the Crucible, that Elissa Domroe is consistently referred to as "Ms. Donmroe." The appelation "Ms." (a combination of Miss and Mrs., of course) is pronounced "Mlz" and Is as non commital on marital status as "Mr." Another step toward gentle equality. I hope the use of "Ms." will become editorial policy.