National State Historical Society
Topoka, Ks.
Daily Hansan
53rd Year, No. 52
2 Radioactive Waves Sweep Over Japan
TOKYO—(U.P.)—The Central Meteorological Observatory said today two waves of radioactivity have swept over Japan from two separate nuclear explosions presumably originating in the Soviet Union. The observatory said radioactivity rain pelleted Japan beginning Nov. 21. Tadao Kiyokawa, head of the special meteorological laboratory of Kyoto University's Section of Terrestrial Physics, placed the site of the hydrogen explosion somewhere in the Gobi Desert of Outer Mongolia.
Tuesday, Nov. 29, 1955.
Outer Mongolia is a Communist state lying between Red China and Soviet Russia in Central Asia. It is the state which Moscow is proposing for United Nations membership over opposition of some western nations.
The Gobi Desert is mostly devoid of trees and supports only grass, thorns, and scrub. It has an area of about 400,000 square miles.
Mr. Kiyokawa estimated the time and place of the Soviet hydrogen explosion from atmospheric pressure instruments in Kyoto and two cities to the south and west-Okyama on the Inland Sea and Tottori on the Japan Sea. Each of the three cities is on Honshu, the main Japanese island.
Unusual shock waves were recorded in the three cities during the late afternoon of Nov. 22, the Japanese scientist said.
Japanese scientists reason that radioactivity hit the islands anywhere from four to five days after a nuclear explosion. The second and by far the strongest recordings of radioactivity were made after Nov. 26.
1 On Nov. 22, earthquake instruments at Tottori, Kyoto, Kanazawa Laomorie, and Mishima all registered a sharp shock.
Radiation in the skies over Europe also was reported to have increased substantially" since explosion of the Russian bomb.
The meteorological Observatory announcement increased fears in atom-jittery Japan that radioactive fallout might damage future generations. Tokyo Municipal University claimed today that radioactive dust and rain falling on Japan over a long period of time "may bring hereditary effects."
A spokesman for the British Atomic Energy Authority reported most radioactivity in the upper stratosphere, around 50,000 feet. The Soviet announcement said the thermonuclear device had been exploded at "very high" altitude. The increase throughout Europe was not reported as dangerous.
Reds Offer To Stop Nuclear Tests
LONDON — (U.)P.—Russia offered today to discontinue testing nuclear weapons "right here and now if the other powers possessing such weapons agree to do the same."
"We cannot discontinue the production and testing of nuclear weapons so long as both the United States and Great Britain manufacture such weapons and test them," the broadcast said.
The offer was made in an English language broadcast by Radio Moscow beamed to North America. It followed the recent explosion in the Soviet Union of its "biggest ever" nuclear device.
Prof. William B. Todd of Harvard University will speak at 4 p.m., Dec. in Strong Auditorium instead of Friday, as it was reported in yesterday's Daily Kansan.
The proposals which the Soviets have put before the United Nations call for a total ban on nuclear weapons and their removal from national arms stockpiles.
Correction
1955 Miss Santa Contest Begins
She will be chosen by a judging committee composed of two law students, two business students, and two engineering students. She will receive gifts from Lawrence merchants.
Miss Santa for 1955 will be announced in the Friday, Dec. 16 issue of the Daily Kansan and will be presented at the SUA Christmas party in the Student Union ballroom that evening.
The Miss Santa contest, co-sponsored by the Daily Kansan, Kansan photographers, and KDGU, was held for the first time last year. Jo Ann Benton, Overland Park sophomore, was chosen as Miss Santa of 1954 from more than 20 entrants.
Each organized house may enter one candidate. Additional candidates, unaffiliated with organized house, may be entered by submitting their name and the signatures of twenty KU students endorsing the entry.
Candidates' names must be submitted at the Daily Kansan business office, 111 Flint, before noon, Wednesday, Dec. 7. At time of entry, appointments will be made to take the official judging photographs.
Weather
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Partly cloudy today. Increasing cloudiness tomorrow with occasional light snows north central portion. Continued cold this afternoon. Warmer extreme west tonight. A little warmer southwest and extreme west tomorrow. Low tonight 10-15 northeast to near 20 southwest. High tomorrow near 30 northeast to 40 extreme southwest.
Today and tomorrow are the last days to register for the English proficiency examination to be given from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Proficiency Exam Deadline Tomorrow
Passing the examination is a graduation requirement for students in the College of Liberal Arts, who register in 229 Strong; the School of Education, 103 Fraser; the School of Journalism, in 105 Flint; the School of Fine Arts, in 128 Strong, and nursing majors in 104 Haworth.
James K. Hitt, director of admissions and registrar, said today that all Kansas high school principals who have former students in the freshman class have been invited. The morning will be given to scheduled conferences between principals and freshmen and upperclassmen, if requested. Dr. Gordon Collister, director of the Guidance Bureau, is in charge of the afternoon program 2 devoted 2 to counseling methods.
Radiation Endangers Man Hoecker Tells Math Club
During registration, students will be assigned examination rooms and will get descriptive pamphlets about the examination.
The seventh annual principal freshman conference at the University will be held Wednesday, Dec. 7.
The conference has been a valuable source of information both to the university and High schools for improvement of their programs, Mr. Hitt said. The conference between principal and former student has been one of the most successful devices for eliciting frank and intelligent criticism of methods, he added.
Principals' Meeting Set
Invitations for the conference have been sent to the administrators of 230 Kansas schools.
Tryouts Scheduled For Workshop Plays
Students interested in acting may read for parts in Actor's Workshop Productions at 7:30 p.m. today in 103 Green and they will be cast either in scenes from three-act plays or in complete one-act plays. Public performances of the plays will be presented later.
"If Wichita had an A-bomb attack and the wind was blowing toward Lawrence the radioactive fall out would engulf the town." Prof. Frank E. Hoecker, chairman of the radiation biophysics program, told the Mathematics Club yesterday.
"He must get rid of them but the question is where to put them. Some have suggested burying the deadly by-products. This can't be done because underground water would carry them away," he said.
"We could turn them loose in the ocean imbedded in concrete blocks, but when the water finally deteriorated the concrete, the wastes would still be radioactive enough to contaminate the ocean," he pointed out.
Dr. Hoecker, who worked on the secret "Manhattan project" during the war, studying the radiation problem of nuclear fission, said the radioactive waste products of the split atom are a problem to the scientist.
"A third solution is to put them in a rocket and send them into space. That's where it stands today."
Dr. Hoecker, who was one of the scientists to represent the U.S., described the plant as a "swimming pool reactor." Radioactive material is in a tank of water which boils turning into steam. The steam is then used to turn a turbine and if the water were removed the radiation would kill a person within three minutes after exposure, he added.
Could Operate Turbine
The atomic power plant the United States showed the Geneva conference on atomic power for peace last summer is an example of how power of the atom can be released slowly instead of with explosive force, yet still be dangerous, he said.
Waste products are made anytime there is nuclear fission, no matter if it is an atomic power plant or an atomic bomb, he said.
Dr. Hoecker is now assigned by the Atomic Energy Commission to study the effects of and the defense against the most deadly of the atomic waste products, strontium.
We don't know what to do with them but we are still turning out theses wastes."
Women To Move Into New Dorm
The east wing of Gertrude Sellards Pearson Hall will officially be opened Thursday, and the new residents will begin moving in Friday and Saturday.
March Of Toys Drive Underway
Three campus groups opened the annual March of Toys drive yesterday.
They are Alpha Phi Omega, national service fraternity; the Interfraternity Council, and the Panhellenic Council.
Last year over, 5,000 toys were collected and turned over to the Marine Corps Reserve "Toys for Tots" drive. The goal in this year's drive has been set at a minimum of 6,000 toys, Roger L. Thom, St. Joseph junior, and general chairman, said.
-Thom suggested that organized houses, instead of giving some knicknack at the Christmas gift exchange, give a toy which can be donated to the drive afterwards.
"In this way, the pleasure of giving and receiving is not lost, and still the drive benefits," he said.
The drive will end at noon Tuesday, Dec. 20. Collections will be made at organized houses on request. To arrange a pick-up, a person should call Thom. Also, boxes will be placed in the Student Union lounge and the Strong Hall rotunda for depositing toys.
Coaches, Athletes Aid Olympic Drive
A number of University athletes and coaches participated on the WIBW-TV telympathon Nov. 26 and 27 which added $8,300 to the Olympic Fund to send United States athletes to the Olympic Games in 1956.
Among the collecting agencies, the Lawrence Junior Chamber of Commerce took the top honors with $2.202. While a considerable portion of this was gained by advance gifts, the response during the main part of the drive was good, Jack Starkey, chairman of the local JayCee campaign, said.
Forensic League To Meet Tomorrow
Three members of the Forensic League will give short talks at a meeting of the group at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in the English Room of the Student Union.
John Eland, Topeka junior, will speak on "Whales." Gopal Khare, graduate student from India, will talk about "Nothing," and Willis Mog, Mankato junior, will speak on "Milk."
Students who would like to become members of the league are invited to the meeting. E.C.Buehler, professor of speech, and David Horr, Lawrence junior, president, will tell prospective members of the group's activities.
Student's Finger Cut Off After Mishap
Obed Thompson, Lawrence sophomore, was dismissed today from Watkins Hospital after the amputation Sunday of his right finger because of an accident Saturday.
Thompson was helping a friend work on a garage door when his ring was caught on a projection and the weight of his body hung from his finger several seconds.
No special ceremonies have been planned for the present, J. J. Wilson, director of dormitories, said. However, an open house will be held at a later date.
Women from Foster, Hodder,
Locksley and Monchonsia Halls
will move into the new quarters.
At the end of the semester, the
women living in Templin Hall will
move into the new building.
Templin and Foster Halls will be
used for men's housing. Men from
Sterling-Oliver Hall will move into
Foster Monday.
The cafeteria in the new dormitory will open Friday. At present, the women in the west wing have been eating in North College Hall.
The west wing of the dormitory has been occupied since the first of school by 120 freshman women. The upperclass women will live in the second floor center section and the second and third floor of the east wing.
The hall contains 235 rooms housing 445 women. On the ground floor is the kitchen, dining room, snack bar, laundry, and storage rooms. The first floor has a large living room and two small parlores, switchboard and mail rooms, two suites for the head residents, men's and women's lounges, and student rooms.
There is a library and sudeck on the second floor in addition to the women's rooms. The third and fourth floors consist of student rooms, and the two rooms on fifth will be used for recreation.
There is an elevator in each wing and a bathroom on each floor of each wing. The new brick dormitory is air-conditioned. The hall is decorated in pastel shades of quince, melon green, sonora, wedgewood blue, and parchment.
Mrs. J. R. Pearson of Corsica, Tex., for whom the building is named, and her late husband, provided $200,000 to construct the hall. The state matched this amount and the remainder of the $1,250,000 cost was met by issuing bonds.
Political Lecture Set For Tomorrow
The first in a series of coffee hour lectures designed to aid students in understanding the responsibilities of citizenship and to help them vote more intelligently will be held at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the Music Room of the Student Union. Clarence Hein, instructor of political science, will be the speaker.
There are eight lectures in the series, sponsored by the YM-YWCA, Student Union Activities, and the Citizens Clearing House, a national organization which will provide funds for some of the speakers. Nationally prominent speakers are expected to be present in April during a political emphasis week.
Clifford Ketzel, assistant professor of political science, is the adviser of the series. Student chairmen are Carol Harshbarger, Kansas City, Kan., junior, and Ralph Jones, Topeka senior.
2 KU Students Apply For Fulbright Awards
Two KU students are among 11 Kansas applicants for Fulbright scholarships. They are George W. Betz, Glen Elder graduate student, who wants to study economics in the United Kingdom, and Clement Blakeslee, Wichita senior, who plans to study anthropology in Australia.
Announcement of the awards will be made early next spring from the national office in Washington, D. C.