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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, October 3.1967
Vote on Viet withdrawal?
Like the weather, the Vietnam war is what everybody's talking about. But unlike those talking about the weather, citizens in San Francisco are trying to do something about the war. Their efforts merit attention.
California's Supreme Court recently ruled that San Francisco citizens could vote Nov. 7 on whether the United States should withdraw from the war in Vietnam. The decision reversed the city's acting voting registrar's refusal to accept a petition—bearing 22,000 names—asking that the issue be placed on the municipal ballot. The registrar turned down the issue on the basis that the city's governing board could not legislate on the subject.
In reversing the decision, the California Supreme Court said that "one of the purposes of local government is to represent its citizens before Congress, the legislature, and administrative agencies in matters over which the local government has no power."
The court's decision certainly represents a
new tool for those against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam conflict, for when bloodshed is reduced to a black-and-white issue at the polls, most people will vote "No." Few Americans enjoy war. Because of this, the wording of the proposition presented to the San Francisco voters is critical; will it mention the consequences of a U.S. pull-out in Vietnam, the very issue which grays an otherwise black-and-white question?
Regardless of the technicalities of the San Francisco vote, however, the fact that the Vietnam war debate has made it to the polls is significant. The opinions of the electorate in this country carry more weight than all the letters to congressmen, speeches and public opinion polls put together.
And for that reason, the up-coming San Francisco vote is worth watching.
Ever wonder what would result if the same question of withdrawal were placed on the ballot in every town in the U.S.?
— Allan Northcutt, Editorial Editor
Letter
'Destitute' ideas
To the Editor:
The ideas expressed by Mr. Hamilton J. Salsich in his recent column, "To a New School," are destitute of the sort of scholarly thinking and practical understanding needed to bring about any valuable change in our educational system.
He begins with a verbal tirade against the University administration and then moves in on the student body. For instance, he informs us of the empty rhetoric mouthed by University officials. He speaks of the scholarly ghetto, the lack of student freedom and dignity, the small people dominated by the big people and other assorted garbage designed to inspire us to emotional discontent.
He does not provide us with any evidence—with facts and with specific instances—to support these charges and contentions. What does he provide other than empty rhetoric? Nothing!
Then, mind you, he tells us we
are enjoying a pretense of participation, and further, we are suffering from delusions of power. Apparently, Mr. Salsich feels the individual and collective intelligence of the student body at KU is rather low, or perhaps he believes we are all mentally ill.
Mr. Salsich has a handy-dandy solution to ALL our problems—let's have a revolution, just a little one, right now.
I should like to suggest two things to Mr. Salsich: 1) he should check out the basic ideas of representative government so that he might be informed about the presently available means of having a voice in the affairs of this institution, and 2) he should study a primer on political science so that he might be better able to interpret the political context in which he finds himself, and thus address himself to that situation in a meaningful way.
Donald K. Lemon Lawrence graduate student
"What Escalation? We're Just Moving Sideways"
Paperbacks
There's an impressive group of quality paperbacks appearing this fall that should prove of special interest to the University student. Books about public affairs, foreign policy, history; books of poetry and the drama.
Of this group one of the most impressive is THE NEGRO IN 20TH CENTURY AMERICA, edited by John Hope Franklin and Isidore Starr (Vintage Originals, $2.45). If any topic is significant today it's that of the civil rights revolution, as the news-magazines and editorial writers call it. Many persons have been leaned on for this volume, going back to the muckraker, Ray Stannard Baker, Booker T. Washington and Gunnar Myrdal. There are views contributed by Langston Hughes, Malcolm X, W. E. B. Du Bois, James Baldwin, Charles Silberman, C. Vann Woodward, Marcus Garvey, Saunders Redding, Martin Luther King, Harry Ashmore, Oscar Handlin and many more. There are presidential statements and Supreme Court rulings. It is easily one of the best volumes of its kind yet published
Of similar interest will be Tracey Sugarman's STRANGER AT THE GATES: A SUMMER IN MISSISSIPPI (American Century, $1.95). This is the story of young Americans who met in Ohio in 1964 and trained for civil rights work in Mississippi. Sugarman is an artist-illustrator who lived with the young workers, observed Negro families and Freedom Schools, participated in demonstrations and put it all down on paper. The illustrations are almost as memorable as the text.
William Mandel's RUSSIA REEXAMINED (Hiss and Wang, $1.95), is a comparatively recent work that gives a balanced picture of the Soviet Union. Mandel treats many aspects of Soviet life—government, life of the ordinary man, agriculture, science, medicine, religion, education. He also attempts to forecast future developments.
The Hill With It by john hill
"Ebenezer Studd . . ." said the ghostly voice, and the sleeping student awoke with a start.
He looked around the huge lecture hall, which was empty because he had fallen asleep during a class hours ago.
"Ebenezer, this is the voice of Apathy Past."
"Apathy Past? What's an Apathy Past? Sounds like a desert," said Ebenezer Studd, looking around the empty room for the voice.
"I am the spirit of all the past indifference you have displayed."
"Bah, humbug!"
Suddenly, a ghostly apparition appeared in the air.
The misty figure of an old man, wearing torn rags, heavy chains, and wet sneakers hovered above.
"Well," said Ebenezer Studd, "suddenly a ghostly apparition is appearing in the air."
"Ebenezer Studd, I hath come to warn you of your lack of interest and enthusiasm." The ghost tried to use a deeply affected tone but blew it when his voice cracked about halfway through.
"That button is a good example," said the ghost of Apathy Past, pointing to a button on Ebenezer's windbreaker which said "I don't know. I don't care. And it doesn't make any difference."
Ebenezer began to be afraid. Maybe this guy was on his draft-board. Or worse yet, his adviser.
"During these last semesters, you haven't really cared about anything," continued the ghost. "You haven't gotten involved in anything on campus, you don't care enough to vote in the elections, you don't care to meet new people, think about new ideas, or take an interest in anything except your habitual interests."
"In short, as you get into this new semester, I hope you've got your Apathy Past," said the ghost of Apathy Past, disappearing in a puff of smoke.
But indifference is a way of life, Ebenezer said to himself, not something you can do halfway.
Suddenly, a modern-appearing ghost was casually sitting in the seat next to him, wearing wrap-around sunglasses.
"Hi Ebb," said the new ghost. "I'm the ghost of Apathy Present. It's my bag, my thing.
Ebenezer turned white.
"I'm here to help you start a new organization, kind of an Unpep Club. Run an ad in the Kansan that tells the time and place of the interviews, but tell people not to come because nobody will be there."
"Hold it," said Ebenezer, "I'm not that indifferent to what's going on. There's a lot that I care about, like . . . uh . . . don't tell me . . . uh . . ."
"Well, Ebb, it's like I was telling your brother, Ebb Tide, you're too wishy-washy. You don't care about anything except what minor things that affect your daily likes and dislikes. In short, you're getting hung up because you're not hung up about anything." With a puff of used smoke, he was gone.
Ebenezer didn't really want to see anymore ghosts, so another one appeared.
"I am the ghost of Apathy Future!" said the ghost, who wore an ancient Roman toga, with an "I Like Orgies" button on it.
"I have come to assist you in preparing for the battle of life, where you will need better weapons than having indifference as your sword and apathy as your shield."
"Charge," said Ebenezer, who was getting a little cynical at this point, especially with the William Tell Overture beginning to emphasize the ghost's points.
"You should really think and care about people, and ideas, and events around you, and where you're headed, and who—"
"O.K. I'll go out and hug a tree or something."
“Well,” sighed the disappointed ghost, “I can see that we cannot help you since you have too strong a desire to be indifferent. I am relieved that you really care about something.”
The ghost began to disappear in a mist of ghost smoke, which sounds like a western.
"Do you wish to have us visit you again as a reminder?" said the distant, disappearing voice.
"Oh . . ." yawned Ebenezer Studd, as he settled back for another nap. "I don't care."
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Albert Einstein in the Atlantic Monthly, 1945: "Since I do not forsee that atomic energy is to be a great boon for a long time. I have to say that for the present it is a menace. Perhaps it is well that it should be. It may intimidate the human race into bringing order into its international affairs, which, without the pressure of fear, it would not do."