Research and society
The bold headlines last Friday read "Senate passes research ban," and broadly speaking, this was accurate. The University Senate, shrunken in size because of the absence of many faculty members, voted 105-77 to approve a policy statement generally forbidding classified research at KU.
A majority of the con votes came from student members of the Senate, and a few younger faculty members. Several cogent but unsuccessful arguments were presented for the referral of the policy statement to committee for further study.
The document begins by stating that "among the University's most basic goals are the development, use and dissemination of knowledge." This conflicts more than slightly with what Chancellor E. Laurence Chalmers has termed the first of the major purposes of a public university: "To meet society's needs—especially the need for well-educated, professionally skilled, thoughtful, humane citizens."
The research document focuses on abstract knowledge: Chalmers' emphasis was on what this knowledge can do to aid humanity.
The research document ignores the interests of society in favor of the interests of researchers and the University. This is repeated several times: "Such restrictions (classification of primary sources) are acceptable when they are in the best interests of the researchers and the University. . ." and "provided such momentary classification (of process) is deemed in the interest of the University and all faculty members and students who are involved."
We can think of multitudes of instances when
research projects would be in the interests of researchers and the University, and yet be detrimental to the whole of society.
A second argument advanced is that the document provides too many loopholes for introduction of militarily-funded defense and offense research. We quote: "The security of that society in times of national emergency can be a goal of the University." The last sentence in the document states that classified research can be accepted "in times of national emergency declared by Congress." These statements, combined with the previously-quoted statements emphasizing the interests of the researchers and the University, provide too many trap-doors through which research projects obnoxious to society can be slipped into our laboratories and workrooms.
W. J. Argersinger Jr., associate dean of faculties in research, argued for passage of the document partly on the grounds that it took a number of qualified men a long time to prepare, and has already been passed by a number of important University committees, such as the University Council. His arguments seemed to convince a number of persons present at the University Senate meeting. They forgot that the true merit of a philosophy lies not in the length of time or the number of persons necessary to prepare it.
A philosophy has true value only when society benefits from the practice of it. The research document has not been drafted to fulfill this goal.
Joanna K. Wiebe
'Man, we never had it so good!'
BOOKS
RICKENBACKER: HIS OWN STORY, by Edward V. Rickenbacker (Crest, $1.25)—The autobiography of one the most controversial and flamboyant American heroes of the 20th Century, a World War I ace, shooting down 26 planes in the war and receiving many decorations, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. Besides that, Rickenbacker became a hero in World War II when his plane was shot down and he helped his crew survive for 24 days on the ocean. More recently he tangled with big business in the effort to buy Eastern Airlines from General Motors. His views have been excessively rightwing, and this facet of Rickenbacker also comes through in a big, bulky paperback.
Readers write
To the editor:
A lot of students at KU seem to be mouthing the ideals of peace, equality, and personal freedom. However, they fail to realize that in order to have such a society they will have to change those institutions in our present society based upon racial, ethnic and religious origin. The greatest violators of a true democratic society are the KU fraternities and sororities.
"When one combines the above with the most important aspects of Beta Sigma Psi—providing a christian atmosphere where young men can share their experiences and problems, where Christian charity is not just a spoken phrase and where brotherhood begins upon the foundation of a common faith, then a versatile and constructively active man of God is the result. This is the reason for Beta Sigma Psi's existence. Beta Sigma Psi, The National Fraternity of Lutheran Men."
"Alpha Epsilon Pi: with more than 100 chapters and colonies, the largest predominantly Jewish national fraternity." Some features of the Alpha Epsilon Pi crest are a star of David, a menorah, and the Lion of Judea: all of which are Jewish religious symbols.
A recent article in the Kansan about the new Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority house has one girl saying that living there is nice because of a common Jewish tradition that the girls share.
The University of Kansas, also shares the guilt for perpetuation of a racist society by sanctioning the fraternities and sororities. Such organizations have no place in a public institution which purports the highest academic ideals of a democratic society; let alone in that society. (Quotes taken from KU fraternity rush manual for 1969).
Allen Blumenthal
Ex-president, KU Hillel, junior
The hippies stayed
To the editor:
In the last months I have come to realize that your paper seems prejudiced against Christianity. Your paper is willing to give information about churches and their activities, but you have failed to talk about what the real, active Christians have been doing.
For example, when Mr. Arthur Katz spoke at the Union two weeks ago, your paper had an article in it, but failed to say anything about what Mr. Katz spoke. If you write an article on a speaker I think it is necessary to mention some of what he said, including quotations. At that meeting there were quite a few hippies that did not leave, but stayed to discuss the subject after the meeting was over. Your paper said nothing about this and instead said that some hippies came and left soon after.
Concerning the Moratorium—last Oct. 15, 1969 the Kansan mentioned some activities carried on, but failed to mention about 30 or more guys and gals who spent all day on campus passing out 14,000 copies of materials including newspapers, tracts and magazines. These materials related Jesus Christ to peace. Christ is the Prince of Peace and the only source of real peace; therefore, world peace is gained by having each man filled with the peace of Christ.
I hope you use less prejudiced journalism and talk to some about these Christians who want to change the world. The next action is Nov. 2, 1969 at Hoch Auditorium. Please come to see how to change the world peacefully.
Pedro Garcia
Clarinda, Iowa graduate student
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GRIFF AND THE UNICORN
by DAVE SOKOLOFF
Griff & the Unicorn, Copyright, 1969,
University Daily Kanman.