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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, October 27, 1967
Revised criminal code
The news that the Kansas Legislature may consider a complete revision of the state's criminal code is welcome indeed. Although the original code adopted in 1855 has been amended many times, a general overhaul to bring all its laws into the 20th century is certainly in order.
The fact that the advisory committee now working on a revision intends to consider specifically such areas as capital punishment, sanity tests and length of prison sentences is ever more hopeful.
Capital punishment has been debated endlessly. Although I oppose it strongly, I will not go into lengthy arguments against it. Suffice it to say that Kansans certainly can find better ways to deal with criminals. Making Kansas a part of what appears to be a general trend away from capital punishment would be a gratifying result of the study.
Reform in prison sentences is another needed improvement. Sociologists long have considered prison society the worse environment to turn criminals into law-abiding citizens, and the rate at which released convicts commit new crimes and are returned to confinement serves to bear out their conclusions. In this respect it is encouraging to note that the committee is considering such programs as prisoner employment and "work release" plans to help the convict obtain the financial security and acceptance as a member of society that he must have if he is to remain on the right side of the law.
The committee might even go a step further and consider expansion of minimum-security programs, family visitation plans or even allowing convicts to serve substantial parts of their sentences outside the prison, checking in with prison officials and otherwise leading a normal working life. These plans have been tried with some success in other states and other countries, and the added example of successful "halfway house" programs makes it seem likely that they could do a great deal to help the ex-convict stay out of prison.
Whatever the form of the programs recommended by the committee, it is to be hoped that its members will take a good hard look at the ineffectiveness of many existing policies and at all the alternatives available. Kansas could profit from a thorough and thoughtful revision of the criminal code.Linda Slefel
Letters to the editor
War for good ole LBJ
To the Editor:
When I read opinions about U.S. policy and practice in the Far East I have to throw in my two yen.
Professor Robert A. Burton in the Oct. 12 and 13 Kansans, suggested a withdrawal from South Vietnam so that, "Russia would confront the Chinese Communists in Vietnam." I expect this is a case of wishful thinking on his part. He had better send out invitations if he wants the two to slug it out in Vietnam (the "ideal" and "logical" spot for those two paper tigers to annihilate each other). We would do better to pray that these two do not confront us there if we continue to escalate the war effort.
Another thing, our "Holy" war in Vietnam is not primarily calculated for the good of S.E. Asia, but let's face it, for the benefit of the good ole President of the U.S. of A. If we were defending the whole of Asia we would have sent troops to help Britain in their land war against the communist jungle fighters. If we truly wanted to keep Asia free, why haven't we helped India or Sikkim in their border fights with China?
When France begged for our aid in their war the then Senator Johnson talked us out of it. It's a little bizarre that now he's the hawk. I've read recently that we are crying for aid to other nations. I really couldn't blame them if they just staved home. Maybe we need to fight this war for South Vietnam and then upon winning enslave them in forced bonds of gratitude as we have
tried to do to: France, The Philippines, our own Hawaii, Japan?, etc., etc.
The thing we have to face is the fact that we are afraid (and who wouldn't be) to confront China, let alone Russia. Lyman Van Slyke, (Kansan of Oct. 24), said: "We have proved the point of our military power by showing that we cannot be defeated." Sure we cannot be defeated ta da ta da —America the Omnipotent and all that jazz—but we can be are are stalemated. This is why we hide behind a "small" war against non-Chinese feeling pure, moral and self-righteous in our feeble attempts to "Slave" the world for Democracy.
Dirck de Velder Lawrence graduate student
kansan drama review
'Gypsy'applauded
Bv Jerry Balch
"Gypsy" begins at a frantic pace. Children dance, scream and shove. The pace seldom lags. At the final curtain the audience is still being treated to a spirited interpretation of the now widely known musical.
The plot of "Gypsy," like that of most musicals, is thin. Rose, the mother of Gypsy Rose Lee, pushes her two daughters into vaudeville, a form of entertainment destined to die although Rose will not admit it. Rose is a domineering woman whose personal vigor drives her and everyone about her in search of the magical word "success." Two things make this flimsy plot into a play: Rose's character and the aura of make-believe and glitter which the show business setting provides.
The multitude of sets consecutively adorning the stage is excellent. All are functional and some are quite attractive. They never distract the attention from the actors—a fact to be commended.
Rose's character presented a more difficult problem, perhaps the most difficult problem in the play. Verna Pierce adequately handles the role throughout the play and at times rises to a sparkling and finely conceived characterization, Kip Niven as her agent and would-be husband gives a consistently excellent performance.
The play is about scene stealers; so it is no surprise that it abounds in stolen scenes. Scenes are stolen by objects (a 1923 Dodge), animals (a dog, a lamb) and children (a delightful group). But the strippers, particularly Jacqueline Kieser as Tessie Tura, steal the show the moment they walk on stage and don't turn it loose until they leave the stage.
The first half of the play belongs to Rose, but the second half belong to Gypsy. Parmenee Bates as Gypsy brings to the role not only the requisite physical charms, but a splendid acting ability as well. Her voice, both speaking and singing, is melodius and expressive. If she fails in any respect in her portrayal of Gypsy it is in making Gypsy at times a bit too elegant.
The play on the whole provides one of the most engaging evenings of music, comedy and pure entertainment that KU and Lawrence have had the pleasure of seeing.
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"Help! I'm Getting Burned Again!"
kansan movie review
'Down Staircase'a pacesetter
By Scott Nunley
Go tonight to see Sandy Dennis in "Up The Down Staircase." Here is that rare film, a motion picture so fine that it sets standards by which other motion pictures should be judged.
As the mouse of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," Sandy Dennis won an Academy Award on a case of nerves. In her new film, however, nervous activity is the all-encompassing motif. Schoolteacher Sylvia Barrett only focuses the general nervous excitement of her world—an Inner City high school.
Perhaps it is this organic quality that makes "Up The Down Staircase" such a successful film. All elements of the school—new teacher, old faculty, students, building and the neighborhood itself—become a unity, one thing characterized by the beautiful confusion of mass life. The film wisely refuses to dissect this little world, to study any of the elements in isolation; even Miss Barrett's home life is ignored.
Here, for example, is the perfect use of sound track. Excellent in itself, the music rises immediately from and directly contributes to all of the other elements of the film.
With Sandy Dennis on center stage, even a one-woman film could be a treat. Happily, "Up The Down Staircase" is rich in faces, voices, and characters—primarily those Director Robert Mulligan recruited from his city streets. Some of these kids find high school boring, but their boredom is the viewer's delight. While every administrator knows the futility of "directing" an overcrowded, undermotivated and adolescent assembly, Director Mulligan knows how to ride the undirected energy itself. His handheld cameras, his intimate true-life techniques make art of a very natural bit of nature.
Bel Kaufman's novel was a lucky ground on which to build, written with sensitive honesty and humor. Tad Mosel's dialogue has concentrated and animated all the optimism, disappointment,
and satisfaction of the initiate teacher.
Those with their own high school days just behind them should see this film, and perhaps themselves. Those fascinated by the process of imparting knowledge should see this film, and perhaps a lesson. These teaching valiantly now should see this film, and perhaps a joke at their own expense.
...quotes..
Whitney Young, National Urban League directer, on the need to prepare white children for association with those of other colors: "For a youngster to grow up today with no knowledge of such diversity in a world which is two-thirds nonwhite is a terrible handicap."
Albert Einstein: "As long as there are sovereign nation; possessing great power, war is inevitable."