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University Daily Kansan
Monday, Oct. 21, 1963
Doing Something
The All Student Council created a Frankenstein monster when it formed the eight-member Liaison Committee.
Student Body President Reuben McCornack charges that the group is upsetting the apple cart and butting into affairs with which it shouldn't concern itself. And now Chancellor Wescoe has been "invited" to review the scope of the committee.
But in this age of reason, this ASC experiment gone mad may take on new meaning and, indeed, give a bit of meaning to the ASC itself.
The committee was set up last year under a bill which outlined its responsibilities very loosely. Last spring, Jim Thompson, Hugoton senior, wrote amendments into the bill specifying fields of interest and specific official bodies with which the committee would interact. Among these official bodies are the Governor, the Board of Regents, the State Legislature, Chancellor Wescoe, and the Lawrence city government.
THE BILL reads that the "... committee shall endeavor to meet with the (various state, city, and university groups) upon the direction of the chairman of the committee for the purpose of advising them on matters concerning students at the University of Kansas."
Note that the bill does not mention any ASC power to subject the committee to limitations by the student body president—or, for that matter, by the ASC itself.
One member explained the views of the members of the committee. "We feel that the (Liaison) committee was set up to investigate problems which may exist involving KU students. Our jurisdiction in such matters must, by necessity, be wide. We cannot sit around and wait for all the red tape which 'interested members' inject into general ASC approval of everything we do.
"IF WE FIND that there is a problem in a specific area, we will merely use our influence to bring the problem to the attention of those people who can remedy it.
"There seems to be some misunderstanding that we are trying to act as a little ASC and take over all the functions of the governing body. In reality we are formed, and now operating, to the end that campus problems will be known by persons who can do something about them.
"If there is a special committee of the ASC to handle problems which arise, for instance the Traffic and Safety Committee or the Health Committee, we will work with these committees to remedy the situation. However, if we find the problem and the committee refuses to recognize
He mentioned a long list of questions which already have come before the committee. These include:
the problem and act on it, then it is our responsibility to take further measures."
- Problems with Lawrence High School students roaming about the campus at night, vandalizing some campus buildings and picking fights with University students.
- CHARGES THAT University hospital facilities are inadequate for the number of students now attending the University and that more money needs either to be drawn from State Legislature appropriations or re-appropriated to deemphasize such things as burglar alarms and improve the hospital facilities as quickly as possible.
- Problems of KU students working for too low a wage for the state. Wages should be comparable to wages earned in comparable jobs in the community.
The Liaison Committee has also had a substantial effect on other committees. Both the Health Committee and the Traffic and Safety Committee, for instance, are now issuing reports, this being an unusual acceleration of interest.
This catalytic action the Liaison Committee seems to have on the other committees is enough in itself to warrant the committee's freedom and to guarantee longevity.
But in addition to urging other committees to action, it has in three short weeks:
- Opened lines of communication between political and University officialdom which allows the student body-finally-a chance to do something about University inadequacies. There is nothing like people to convince a State Legislature-or the hierarchy under it—that changes need to be brought.
- Made it clear that it is interested in problems of the student body and not problems some ASC members are "convinced" the ASC should consider.
- Focused its attention on University problems which would, had the committee not been formed, have been carefully avoided in the usual ASC docket of mundane nothingness.
No, Mr. McCornack. Neither you nor the ASC has the right to limit this committee and subject it to red tape and influence from above. If you do, you will be guilty of insubordination yourself —to your responsibility as an ASC member. And that responsibility is, to work in the best interests of the student body.
Dennis Bowers
Epic Poem of Civil War Gives Exciting Theater
In presenting "John Brown's Body" the Experimental Theatre has successfully avoided the vacuous prattlings of absurdism and has brought us the sentiment of an American poet and his love for his country.
James Pearce
"John Brown's Body" is exciting theater.
"John Brown's Body" is a sentimentalist's interpretation of the Civil War. An epic poem by Stephen Vincent Benet, it deals not with any specific aspect of the war but rather with the aspects of war tied together by the moving and powerful language of the poet.
Marcia Dalen and Nancy Vunovich all succeed in transforming themselves with virtuosity in equally contrasting roles.
The execution of the play requires an articulate sense of theater and drama. The director, Mr. Rea, is to be congratulated for not relying on some gimmick to overcome the difficulties of maintaining continuity throughout the play. Although the chain of events progresses rapidly, they are loosely knit together by way of the Civil War and Mr. Rea's precise manipulation of lighting, processed background, chorus and actors. The audience never gets lost.
"JOHN BROWN'S BODY" provides a severe test for the actor's versatility. Set against a single historical background the play requires the actor to depict convincing roles in numerous effusive emotional situations and contrasting personalities. Richard Kelton, a powerfully eloquent young actor, gives an outstanding performance. In his portrayal of various characters, Kelton moved with apparent ease from such roles as Jack Elliott, a docile, pleasant country lad, to a righteous fanatic John Brown.
The chorus, although not playing a single role within the play, maintains the emotional tempo, and in addition plays an essential part correlating the different locations and the change by one actor from one character to another.
Dailij Hänsan
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