Page 58 - ThePhoenix1983-84

Pat· 4IW .. t..... MOJyIaud CoUe,eIMarch 15, 1984 Faculty of the Week Art professor from An Issue for November N.C. speaks Protecting American History: Dr. Sherman E. Lee visited outstanding service in the Richard Claycombe WMC on March 7 and 8. field of art history. He is past What can an economist say are lower and workers in and sewing at home. Invited by the WMC chapter president of the Association that might be helpful in voting those industries have fewer All politicians are vulnerable of Phi Beta Kappa, Dr. Lee of Art Museum Directors, a fellow of the American Acad- next November? He/she could jobs. The same line of thought to special interest groups. lectured several regular discuss taxes, deficits, inter- leads to the conclusion that Their willingness to support a classes and then gave a emy of Arts and Sciences, est rates or regulation of var- higher profit in the automobile particular group is in part a lecture on "The Importance of and a trustee of the Asia ious kinds(e.g., industry is gained at the ex- function of the politician's own Chinese Art" in Decker Audi- Society, the Japan Society, environmental regulation). Re- pense of export industry views. Reagan is criticized for torium. and the Arnon Carter Museum l grettably, these issues are profit. being soft on polluters, oil . Sherman E. Lee was the of Western Art. In 1973 Dr. complex with plenty at room How do we know that the companies and the like. director of the Cleveland Mu- Lee spent a month in the for disagreement over fact rest of society loses more Maybe he is; I don't know. I seum of Art from 1958 to People's Republic of China as and theory. There is no con- than a protected industry do know that there is ample 1983 as well as chief curator chairman of a group of Ameri- sensus among economists on gains, i.e., how do we know room for disagreement about of Oriental art from 1952 .to can scholars in the field of these issues. There is, how- that import restrictions result the costs and benefits of 1983. Before joining the Chinese art and archaeology. ever, one issue of importance in a lower standard of living pollution control and natural Cleveland Museum, he was Dr. Lee has written numerous in the next election for which for the nation as a whole? The resource development. Mon- associated with the Detroit books and articles and has a consensus exists. An Ameri- law of comparative advantage dale is criticized for being soft Institute of Arts and the Seat- organized many exhibitions can Economic Association is the explanation. Roughly on labor unions. But what do tle Art Museum. He is now on Far Eastern art. His books pool shows that 97 percent of speaking, every economy has labor unions want? Generally all economists agree that pro- an advantage in the produc- they want a politician to pro- tecting American industry tion of some goods. Barring tect them from competition. from foreign competition will trade restricitons, countries Airline and trucking unions reduce the nation's standard' will export goods that they want to return to the days of of living. produce most efficiently and regulation when new (proba- Reagan and ~ndale stand import goods that they bly nonunion) firms were worlds apart on this issue, at produce least efficiently. In barred from entry into inter- least as far as rhetoric goes. this way intemational trade state markets. Textile unions Of course Hart may displace enables countries to concen- want to prevent competition Mondale; by the time this trate their resources on goods from abroad (most recently column is printed "super that they produce efficiently. China) and, as noted already, Tuesday" will have passed The generality is that world now they are worried about and Hart may be the new production is increased by U.S. citizens who work at "clear" democratic front run- international trade and that all home. One view that virtually neroAt the time this is written, economies can expect a all economists share is that however, it would be prema- share of the increased pro- import restrictions (and other ture to discount Mondale. I duction. Restricting trade anticompetitive policy) will will refer to Hart parentheti- forces economies to devote hurt the economy. cally when appropriate. But I resources to inefficient uses. How do Mondale and Rea- • Shennan get ahead of myself. Let us Overall production decreases. first frame the issue of free Hence, the gains of workers ~~ ~~~ar:n~n ~~~S;~~~Tallta on importance trade and competition in the and firms in protected indus- (Hart hasn't been a serious adjunct professor in the de- include Chinese Landscape broad context of special inter- tries must be less than the contender long enough-'or his partment of art at the Unlver- Painting, Streams and Moun- est groups and see why, as Jesses of the rest of society. view on this and many other sity of North Carolina at tains without End (with Wen the saying goes, what's good Does the U.S. produce cars issues to be scrutinized.) As Chapel Hill. Fang), Japanese DecoratNe for General Motors is not inefficiently? You bet. It is well far as rhetoric goes, Reagan A Chevalier of the Legion of Style, History of Far Eastern necessarily good for the na- documented that our labor takes the high road on com- Honor, Dr. Lee has also been Art, Chinese Art under the lion. costs for autos are much petition and Mondale the low awarded the Swedish Order Mongols (with Wai-kam Ho), Our society is comprised of higher than Japanese costs. road. Reagan proclaims the of the North Star and the On Understanding Art Mu- many special interest groups. Contrary to what our industry benifit of intemational and do- Japanese Order of the Sa- seums (editor), and Ref/ee- Many of them seek to protect says, Japanese subsidies are mestic competition. Mondale cred Treasure: Third Class. In lions of Reality in Japanese themselves from competition not the explanation. Our high pr.omises to protect American 1982 he received the Art Art (with Michael cun- by persuading Congress to costs are due principally to a ~a~,!r~~~re~~~~m:~~i~o ,.De_a_le_rs_A_s_SOC_la_tiO_n_a_w_a_rd_fo_r_n_in_Q_h_am_>_. ----' limit imports (or regulate in- long span of years after dustries, which is similar). W,W.II when the Un~ed Auto hear, according to conven- These groups expect to have Workers bargained for wages tional wisdom anyway. con- Zepp speaks on death higher demand when potential that far exceeded the U.S. venlional wisdom holds that foreign (or domestic) com- manufacturing average. They most people don't know that petitors are barred by law also obtained work rules that readers of this column now Westminster, Md.-- Dr. Ira provided by Westem Mary- from competing. drove productivity down. The know about the fallacious na- Zepp, professor at Western land College, which brings Let's take the United Auto auto companies granted ture of the protection appeal. Maryland College, will present the expertise of the faculty Workers and the auto manu- these demands to avoid But maybe voters are wiser a lecture entitled, "Death and and staff down from the col- facturers as an example. The strikes. They were able to than we think. Some political Dying," to the WJe~·"'inster lege and into the community. Many topics and speakers lobby for import restrictions pass higher costs along to analysts attribute Mondale's Lioness Club. The .dcture be- on Japanese cars. Import re- consumers in the form of troubles to voters' concern gins at 6:30 p.m. on March are offered including speeches on solar energy, strictions generate more jobs higher prices because they over his promises. 27, at the American Legion for American auto workers faced little competition, for- There is a divergence be- Hall in Westminster. Dr. Zepp sexuality, death and dying and more. and higher profit for American eign or domestic. (We might tween Reagan's rhetoric and wilt explore the effects of For more information con- death on families and their auto companies. So what's note at this point that con- his behavior. Reagan has cerning Dr. Zepp's speech wrong with that? Plenty. The sumers also lose when import succumbed to pressure to relatives as well as the impact contact -Mrs Berchok, pro- it has on indivirlll::ll,:: auto workers get more jobs restrictions are granted; less protect the automobile indus- gram coordinator but workers in our export foreign competition permits try. He teeters on the brink of . SPEAKEASY is a program' industries lose jobs. This is higher prices.) doing the same for the steel FAN'S CHINESE RESTAURANT unavoidable since in the long The auto industry is just one industry. In agriculture he has run foreign countries can not example of a special interest supported subsidies to pro- buy from us without having group lobbying Congress to mote exports and continues Szechun f@Downtownwestminste.r some of our money. Unless limit competition. The steel the age old program of price Catonese 59 W. Main St. we give our money away the industry, most agriculture in- supports. Reagan has gone Polynesian 848-0919 only way for them to get it is dustries and the shoe industry against his principals presum- for them to sell something to are other well-known exam- ably because he would lose American . 876-3166 us. When we block foreign ples. Recently the maritime too many allies in Congress if sales to ourselves, we reduce industry received antitrust im- he did otherwise. Congress is Cocktail service Quickey Lunch & Carry Out the amount of money that munity and, strange as it may especially vulnerable to spe- 11 AM-10 PM Sun· Thurs 11 AM-11 PM Fri·Sat foreign countries have to pur- seem, textile unions have cial interests. (For example, Catering for Banquets, Parties, Hers d'oeuvres chase our goods. Our exports been trying to restrict knitting Mondale says Hart (Colorado) Cont. on 7