The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 05, 1982, Page 8, Image 8
.opinion
West German leader
faces challenaes
The new Christian Democratic Chancellor of
West Germany, Helmut Kohl, must contend with
two challenges as he attempts to revive Germany's
ailing economy.
The Greens, members of an ecological, antinuclear
party, provide the first challenge.
President Ronald Reagan's unrealistic expectations
concerning the new government in
Bonn is the second. Both the Greens and Mr.
Reagan put Germany's economic future and
1 i. ~ *
lung-ienii reiauons witn me unitea states on
shaky ground.
We must first consider changes in German:
society. The postwar consensus on economic
growth has broken down, partially as a result of
high unemployment and inflation, at least by
German standards. The previous coalition of
Free and Social Democrats lost power because
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present government must find solutions to
Germany's economic problems or risk defeat at
the next general election.
Changes in German society will make Kohl's
job a difficult one. Germans no longer universally
value hard work and material success.
They place more emphasis on enjoying their
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leisure nme. inis is unaerstanaaDie, given tneir
r r iuced working hours and longer vacations .This
"greening" of Germany has brought issues to
the surface that had received very little attention.
The challenge to the Christian Democrats
from the Greens is very small, since they
represent a small percentage of the electorate.
Even if they win some seats in the next national
parliament, they will remain dwarfs in a field of
political giants. Kohl should be able to find
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despite the aforementioned changes. However,
Reagan can do much to change this.
Reagan expects much from the new government
in Bonn. He rightly views the Christian
Democrats as more conservative than their
predecessors. However, there are practical
limits to their conservatism. Reagan expects
Kohl to be more receptive to his proposals for
stopping construction of the trans-Siberian
pipeline. Kohl will probably disappoint him. He
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vtuKi/o wnuav.io iui vjfci nidii innik> uiai create
jobs for German workers. Long unemployment
lines, not fears of Soviet blackmail in the uncertain
future, haunt him.
Thus, Reagan's appeals will fall on deaf ears.
One obvious danger lies in the American tpap.
tion to Kohl's lack of enthusiasm. Congress
might question the virtue of .committing 300,000
troops to defend a Western Europe that is apparently
unwilling to defend itself. More than
likely, his appeals will increase anti-American
sentiment. This will strengthen the Greens and
make Kohl's job more difficult. It reduces his
chances of forming a stable government to solve
Germany's economic problems.
Despite the virtue of some of his arguments,
Reagan needs to re-examine his audience and,
particularly, the timing of his presentation.
There is no reason to risk Germany's economic
future and our long-term relations with Germanv.
Whv insist that Kohl fnllnw a r>nnrco nrkf in
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his or the United States' best interests?
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<+$!* - rr-*v
Fr:
_J ?tte rs
Dining direcl
Editor:
This letter has been written with a
two-fold purpose: 1) to communicate
to you the potential closing of the Top
of Carolina Restaurant because of
serious financial problems; and 2) a
plea for your suggestions as to
possible alternatives for this
restaurant.
Presently, and in the past, sales at
the "Top" have been extremely low.
About 100 persons a day visit the
"Top," of which 30 to 40 are students.
Because of these low sales, about
$60,000 will be lost this year out of this
one area.
I am concerned that the university
community is not using this fine
facility.
There are very few "landmarks"
such as this around the country ? and
probably not any on a college campus.
However, we must face reality; either
alternative ideas that would lead to a
r jl! ii ^
rouiDau sporx:
Editor:
I have been involved with this univ<
program for four years. In that time the
changes, some for the good and some for t
My main concern right now is the sp
football. The playoffs are starting this we<
won at least 60 percent of their games,
requirement for these teams that mak
that is that they have a 6.5 sportsmanship
out of 10; in other words, on an A-F scale i
This requirement is set by the peop
tramural office. I think that the scale is f
team that is undefeated, but they only ha
should not be in the playoffs. That is the ri
But folks, that is not the way it works. 1
in the playoffs this week that is below tl
you explain it? Politics even at the ii
probably.
Thic toom " - " ' ' '"
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the playoffs, and they got a 10-7-10, r<
seven,when they knew they needed a 10? (
close game? As a matter of fact, the ga
time. It seems tempers flair when the gan
These comments are not directed at thi
who are in charge of the intramural flag!
the people who make the rules and then fa
For you people down in the intramural
SG president re
Editor:
Dc you believe in students' rights?
Thft fart is it rirwHj nnt ma
?, .. iivi nuuivi iu uu;
Columbia City Council what students
think! On Wednesday, Oct. 27, in
Student Government's seventh
presentation before City Council, the
university was lambasted by its
neighbors residing on Senate, Pendleton,
Greene and Laurens streets.
Although USC obtained permission
to eliminate parking on Greene
Street, add decorative gates and
create a mall effect, Greene Street
will continue to be open from 4 p.m.
until 9:30 a.m. I want to reaffirm that
the permanent closing of Greene
Ltz Mandate and ife-Car
tor asks for
break-even point must be reached, or
the closing of the facility is inevitable.
The primary reason for suggesting
closing this facility is because of the
effect a loss of $60,000 can have on the
entire food service program on
Ti ?
campus, ii can aeiimieiy miiuence
prices in our other operations. This
would, in effect, mean that you would
be subsidizing the "Top" whether you
were on the meal plan at Patterson
Hall or buying a cup of coffee at
Russell House.
As you have probably noticed, we
have increased the service hours in
the operations significantly this fall.
Most units are open on weekends, and
the Russell House is open all day
(Monday through Friday). A loss such
as we are experiencing at the "Top"
can have a negative impact on those
service hours.
I do not want to close this facility.
However, I need your help with ideas
jmanship ratin
think the playoffs ai
ersity's intramural The playoffs will be
re have been many you are in, but if yo
he bad. team that could no
ort at hand ? flag season will be able
ek for all teams that tensity of playoffs?
There is only one From what I unde
e thp nlavnffc onrl ? *
_ j j V..U| u?u uujji uvemtsnis irom
> rating (this is a 6.5 chance to play in the
t would be a D). Well, what about
le down at the in- ratings, say an eigl
air, and if there is a 6.5? Why don't you
ve a 6.2 rating, they dropped so drastica
lie ? right? will not be able to c
'here will be a team me that if a rule cai
le 6.5 limit. How do both ways,
ntramural level ? I remember an i
season, where the r
iree games to make member of the opp
jspectivelv. Whv a
? UU1I1 nil.
?ould it have been a (sportsmanship). Is
me went into over- guy a chance, his
le is a little tight. through the rest of h
* team, but at those Intramural sports
football program ? Why don't we just bi
il to enforce them.
office, what do you
laffirms associi
Street is viewed as a necessity by
Student Government, and we will
continue to work toward these ends.
An item of particular interest to all
students is that a representative of the
Five Points merchants came to the
City Council meeting and voiced his
opposition to the closing of Greene
Street. In this case, the reality is that
USC students contribute nearly a half
billion dollars to Columbia's
economy, and merchants should heed
the wishes of its loyal customers instead
of standing in opposition to
them. There is currently a resolution
being formulated in the Student
Senate to voice the students'
displeasure with the Five Points
to endorsement.
suggestions
and suggestions about possible
alternatives that would help this area
break even (based upon the present
selling prices and costs, sales must
more than double to break even).
I have already received some
suggestions, such as: 1) close during
the lunch period and offer a "Special
Dinner" one night per week (possibly
Wednesday night); and 2) offer
special catering to groups such as
oi J i /i A ^ *
aiuueiu wvernmeni, ureens and
other student and university
organizations. These are very good
alternatives, and we would like to
hear more.
Closing of the "Top" could happen
as soon as Nov. 12. This is why I need
your input as soon as possible.
Please write to me, Carl Chandler,
c/o Saga Food Services, 1718 College
Street, Columbia, SC 29208.
Carl Chandler
Director of Dining Services
g i ileal liny less
e going to be like ? runaways? I doubt it.
much more intense, because if you win
u lose you are out. Do you really think a
t meet the requirement in the regular
to cope with the extra pressures and inirstand,
you said "because of this team's
i their previous games, they deserve the
; playoffs."
tnose teams that started out with good
it, and their rating dropped to around a
tell them because your sportsmanship
lly and you are so close to the limit, you
ompete in the playoffs? It seems fair to
a work one way, it sould be able to work
incident that occured last flag football
nember of one team broke the jaw of a
osing team. The player was ejected inramural
sports because of his actions
r~r -r i 1 ? it-?
wen. Ian : 1 am sure 11 you nau given mis
: sportmanship would have improved
is games, too.
imanship ? is there really such a thing?
ing in the animals and play Riverbanks!
Danny Mahoney
Marketing senior
ition's position
merchants.
I would like to publicly thank
Councilman Rudy Barnes fo' sticking
with the university through thick and
mm. in addition, I would like to extend
the students' thanks to Bob
Davis, Steve Beckham, Vice
President Dave Iiinker, Dean Marsha
Duncan, Dean Harry Lightsey, Vice
President Chris Vlahoplus and
President James B. Holderman for
their continued enthusiasm for and
support of students' concerns at
Carolina ? an institution that stands
firm in these weak times!
Ashley B. Abel
Student Government President