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University Dahy Kansan Wednesday, March 21, 1956
An Old Problem
Class Conflict Arises In South
One of the elements that makes war is again being stretched to the point where it may be snapped in open conflict. This element is class—position in society. This particular position has been coveted for many centuries by the black race—the position of equality alongside the white race. This doesn't mean that the Negroes of this country will rebel in open warfare—though elsewhere they might, Africa in particular—but it does mean that there will be some more bloodshed.
Let's not kid ourselves as many politicians and the southern citizens of this country are doing. It is not health nor environment; marital habits nor intellectual ability; crime nor any other reasons advanced by southern statesmen that is the reason—and it is a single reason—for backing segregation. True, all these claims are valid, but they are valid only because our southern states have permitted them to exist—and in many cases forced them to exist. It has been almost a century since the emancipation and the differences between him and his slave ancestor have assumed no major proportions.
But before we explain the single reason why the South wants segregation—a reason which the southern spokesman will admit only privately for it makes him appear bigotged in the minds of his fellows—we shall look into the above-mentioned claims to the rights of segregation and test their worth.
The status of health and environment of the Negro is one of the reasons that the people of the southern states do not want their children in an
integrated school. They say the Negro lives in crowded slum conditions and that these conditions are not conducive to good health—that venereal disease has a high percentage among Negroes.
It is true that the Negro lives in crowded, dirty slum areas. We have seen them—many of them. The white residents of his community will not permit him to live anywhere else. He cannot rent a house, much less buy one, in a good residential district. All the best sites are reserved for whites.
Well, why doesn't he fix up the place he lives in? With what? Money? He doesn't have much of that. He is basically a laborer, and his position isn't very high because there are white laborers before him—hence little money. Besides he doesn't own his place anyway. If he makes repairs the white landlord raises the rent. The landlord isn't going to make repairs unless he can get more rent, and he knows he can't—so why bother.
But there is one thing the Negro can do to put him economically on a par with his white neighbors. He can get a car. Time payments make it easy, and he gets a big one with lots of chrome. In that one respect he is even with his white neighbor, and often better. Everybody has to drive on the left side of the road—and maybe his car is the biggest in the line. Don't think it isn't galling. We've heard many a southern gentleman left at the stoplight in dust. "Why that cotton picker cuts my grass—how does he own a car like that?"
The car is the Negro's defiance to the position he is forced to assume.
Dee Richards
A Pat On The Back
Praise For The Greater University Fund
Three cheers for the Greater University Fund— what would KU be without it?
For several weeks, people have been praising or denouncing Universal Military Training, Greeks and the outstanding work they are doing, and various other things. However, there is one organization on the campus, the Greater University Fund, that does more for the University, and yet never gets even a nod of approval from the students.
The purpose of the fund is to offer an opportunity for alumni and friends of the University to participate in its growth through contributions. The over-all objective is to build a greater University.
Last year the fund received 2,056 gifts totaling $55,040.93. This money was used for six main purposes.
First. eight faculty research scholarships and travel grants were given in physics, literature, political science, history, language, entomology, art, and music.
Second, 40 scholarship awards were granted to students who without aid could not have attended college.
Third, the Greater University Loan Fund was increased to a $10,000 level.
Fourth. the fund helped the Medical Center to meet the construction costs of the Student Union-Continuation Study Center.
Fifth, the library established a Banned Book exhibit and purchased rare and unique collections of books and pamphlets, and the museum was able to purchase an important painting.
Sixth, the fund helped to establish a fund to provide a bust of the late Chancellor Ernest H. Lindley.
Much of the success of the fund should go to Maurice Barker, executive secretary. Mr. Barker has worked hard since the program was established in 1953, and the success of it is due chiefly to his efforts. Since 1953, more than $100,000 has been received in 4,000 individual gifts.
Last year gifts ranged from $1 to $1,000, and the average gift was an amazing $26.78. For a convenient yardstick, many alumni chose to give either a day's pay, 1 per cent of their annual income, or $1 or more for every year out of school.
So before we start dishing out thanks to every little thing on the campus, we first should give a word of thanks to the Greater University Fund. It provides a better University, a better education, and new opportunities through research.
—Bob Riley
K-State Offers Self-Congratulations
(Note: The following item appeared on the editorial page of Monday's issue of the Kansas State College student newspaper under the headline "Pinch Me—I'm Dreaming.)
K-Staters can be proud of themselves—especially those who attended the game at Lawrence Friday night. Though the K-Staters thought the officiating was especially poor, they—like gentlemen and gentlewomen that they are—refrained from booing or carrying on in an unsportsmanlike manner.
And the K-State cheering was a thing of wonder. Even though K-State lost a heartbreaker Friday night, the fans didn't give up on the team. The student body turned out en masse for the Saturday game, and with their support the K-Staters swamped Houston.
Such sportsmanship in the face of such injustice is enough to warm the cockles of a person's heart (or harden his arteries).
Somebody pinch me. I'm dreaming.
(Note: Apparently the writer WAS dreaming, or else he was not in attendance at Friday's game, when the K-State section made itself conspicuous by tossing coins on the floor in protest against decisions of the officials.
Also, quite a few boos were heard coming from the K-State section, and maybe we were dreaming, but the K-State delegation Saturday night seemed to be about half the size of Friday's turn-out.
FREMONT, Calif.—(U.P.)—This newly-incorporated Alameda County town recorded its first "major crime" the other night when a small boy entered a store with a gun that "looked very real" and demanded bubble gum.
If this was an exhibition of fine sportsmanship, we'd hate to see that crowd on a bad night.)
When the proprietor, Mrs. Marvis Gillespie, reached for a telephone the pint-sized bandit ripped the phone cord from the wall and fled empty handed.
Nikita S. Khrushchev announced recently that there are only two roads, peaceful co-existence and war. Peaceful co-existence in the world today is about as close as a trip to the moon on a paper airplane.
UNIVERSITY Dailu Hansan
University of Kansas student newspaper
1954, trifweek 1908, daily Jan 16, 1912
trifweek 1908, daily Jan 16, 1912
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NEWS DEPARTMENT
Marlon McCoy...Managing Editor
Larry Hell, John McMillion, Harry Elliott, Pencivsky, Assistant Manager, Editors; Burbank City, Edison District, Assistant City Editor; David Webb, Telegraph Editor; Daryl Hall, Assistant Telegraph Editor; Ann Kelly, Society Editor; Felicite Forberg, Assistant Society Editor; Editor; Bob Lee, Assistant Sports Editor; Rob Stephens, Picture Editor
A store owner in Omaha, Neb., had just finished the tiresome task of shovelling six inches of snow from his walk when Police Chief Harry Green drove by and made him shovel it back on the sidewalk. It's illegal in Omaha for shopkeepers and parking lot owners to shovel snow into the street.
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