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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, May 16. 1956.
Training Too Rough
Marines Use Brutal Methods
Since the Parris Island incident when six Marine recruits were killed while on an unauthorized training hike, prominent newspapers and individuals have commented on the Marines' training program. Some have supported the program, while others have violently condemned it.
Soldiers and officers immediately concerned, and ex-GI's who have seen combat in past wars, seem to believe a tough training program is needed if the country is to remain ready in the event of war, but question the extent the Marines go to.
History will back up those persons who support a strong military training program. It is common knowledge that the country wasn't properly prepared for either World War II or the Korean conflict when it entered the wars. And before our soldiers could be properly trained, the country had suffered an overwhelming number of unnecessary casualties.
We say the training program is too rough. We'll concede the fact that a strong military force is necessary if the country is to remain safe from aggression, but we wonder to what lengths the Marine Corps should go to achieve this goal.
Men who have been through the Marines' training program have stated that the Parris Island episode is not an isolated incident, but instead, a common occurrence. The Marine Corps has built up an over-sized ego from the reputation it has
The supporters of the Marine program contend that now, with the Marines attempting to train the recruits so the large number of casualties will not occur a third time, one isolated incident has placed the training program in jeopardy. The question we must try to answer is: Is the Marines' basic training too rough and is the Parris Island incident an isolated one?
earned during its performances in recent wars, and seems determined to maintain this reputation at any length. The Corps seems to believe that to do this it must degrade the recruits and treat them with brutality.
The Marines contend that this treatment is needed to teach the recruits discipline and to acquaint them to war-like conditions. Yet, the Army, Navy, and Air Force have also achieved a great fighting name as a result of past combat performances and haven't had to depend on brutality to achieve it.
The other three branches of the armed forces, unlike the Marines, haven't had to resort to humiliation in order to develop a great fighting service. The three branches believe in tough training, but not to the extent that brutality is necessary.
It is a poor situation for the country and the entire military program when the Marines enforce brutality merely to maintain a reputation of being tough.
The between-classes whistle, after blowing off steam all year, is finally losing its voice. It's astounding that some professors who have spent an entire semester outdoing such feats are still able to talk at all.
Daryl Hall
We can't decide which liquid is the most-used around these parts; water from the drinking fountains, iced tea in the Student Union, beer in the local taverns, or that goop girls put on after lying in the sun one afternoon too long.
There ought to be a law against Colorado running those beautiful advertisements this close to final week.
Editor
... Letters ...
Correction please!
With reference to The Daily Kansan's allusions to a low ebb in campus humor publications.
Indeed this must be true, how else can one explain the successful innovation of a new publication with consistent demand for three issues and at the same time the unfortunate demise of a "much older and more hallowed" literary effort.
Only one correction need be made, please. Squat has managed quite well to keep its "head above the water financially." The gross distortions of rumor to the contrary, were an example of not only poor journalism, but also a highly inadequate factual analysis (not one of the old or new Squat staff members was sought out for confirmation).
Should some members of the doubtful Sour Owl staff feel so inclined, they are most cordially invited to attend the next Squat staff meeting, whore they can personally see the little Squat caricature rear his homely face amidst the vagaries of "dry dull-witted attempts at literary excellence" and financial incompetence as he distributes the year's earnings to all staff members.
The Squat Staff
Editor:
The following matters are communicated to The Daily Kansan, since experience has shown the proper persons usually are reached by this means.
First, and most practical, I should like to suggest that the doors of Malott Hall be left unlocked on
Sunday afternoons and evenings. The library in the building is open at these times for student use, so that the perennially pinched portals would seem to defeat the purpose of the open library. Although the front door is usually (though not always) open at these times, those on the parking lot side of the building never are.
Second, and more esthetically, I should like to call to someone's attention the pendulum clock just within the front door of the Student Union. In the first place it is my contention that the set of chimes is hung in the clock in reverse order, so that when the Westminster chimes are struck, the higher notes replace the lower, and vice versa. Secondly, since the clock is equipped with a dial indicating the phases of the moon, would it not be better to set the thing so that it does not indicate full moon when, as at present, the moon is yet new?
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
E. David Cater
"YES, TH' OLE FRAT IS GETTING BACK ON ITS' FEET SINCE 'TEX' PLEDGED."
San Antonio, Tex., graduate student
University of Kansas student newspaper
Founder, editor. became biweekly, 1904,
founder, editor, 1908, became daily.
*Joe Patterson*
Daily Hansan
Telephone VIking 3-2700 Extension 251 news room
Member Inland Daily Press Association,
Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by
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Service: United Press. Mail subscription
rates: $2 a semester or $4.50 a year. Published
in Lawrence, Kann. every after-
election season. Saturdays and Sundays. University
holidays, and examination periods. Entered
as second-class matter Sept. 17, 1910. in
post office under act of March 3, 1879.
Extension 251, news room Extension 276, business office
John McMillion ... Managing Editor
Barbara Bell, Bob Lyle, Kent Thomas,
David Webb, Assistant Managing Editors;
Jane Pecinovsky, City Editor;
Mary DeLuca, Assistant City Editors; Gordon Hudelson, Telegraph Editor; Robert Riley, Larry Stroup, Assistant Telegraph Editors;
Fiecia Fenberg, Society Editor;
Betty Jean Stanford, Assistant Society Editor; Betty Bruce, Sports Editor; Daryl Hall, Louis Stroup, Assistant Society Editors, Larry Hell, Picture Editor
NEWS DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT
Richard Hunter ... Business Manager
James Wiens, Advertising Manager;
David Gunzinger, Marketing
Manager; Mary Lan, Wickersham,
Classified Advertising Manager; Clif-
ford Meyer, Circulation Manager; Wal-
ter Baskett JJ, Promotion Manager.
Dick Kell Editorial Editor Ann Kelly Ray Wingerson, Associate Ed
Approximately 2,600 cups of coffee are served every day in the Student Union Hawk's Nest.
There are 700,000 books available in various libraries at the University.
A Fraternity Sweetheart Ring
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