University Daily Kansan Friday. April 29,1955 Blow Dust, Blow We'll All Pray Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson has called on western Kansas farmers to begin a day of "prayer and supplication to ask God in heaven to send rain." Well, that's one way of stopping the good Kansas dirt from blowing over to Russia. It's certainly not the best way. The secretary has made a tour; he's impressed. But first and foremost the secretary is a politician, not a conservationist. It will take a little more than politics to keep that western Kansas dirt on the ground. It's about time Kansas and the rest of the nation woke up to the fact that it isn't going to rain out there—at least it hasn't for awhile, and the forecast looks equally as dry. Kansas must realize that as long as it doesn't rain, that land is worthless, or probably a bit on the debit side of the agriculture ledger. But the point is, God isn't going to send rain to make up for the human mistake of plowing up ground that should be left in grass land. Maybe the old man wasn't so far off when he said, "I always pray as though every thing depended on God, then act as though everything depended on me. This way it leaves nothing to chance." John Ise insists that it isn't very good land economies to plow up ground that will be worthless after it is plowed. This is not only logical, it's a crying necessity. But who will take the initiative. Certainly not the farmers; they can't afford it. They own the land, and they've got to take the chance and try to grow something, or as farmers they'd make good mechanics. Laissez-faire economics doesn't quite work out in the U.S. anymore; people just aren't used to standing around watching other people starve to death. And these farmers in western Kansas and Oklahoma, and eastern Colorado are doing just that; they will continue to eke out a peasant's subsistence living scale unless someone buys that land. And who wants worthless land? Very few individuals can afford to put the plains in grassland, waiting until the soil is built up again. But, of course, the secretary of agriculture would rather buy up wheat surpluses than take some land out of wheat production. Let the farmers take the loss; they're trapped. Besides, that's "the American way." Only the government has the sinking fund which would allow it to put this land in grass, probably taking a loss on the investment. Perhaps the secretary figures, "Well, Kansas will vote Republican anyway. Let's invest national funds in the doubtful states." This is also "the American way." The American way may be good politics, but as Dr. Ise said, "It's not very good land economics." —Ron Grandon Daily Transan University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room, KU 251 Ad Room, KU 376 Member of the Inland Daily Press association, Associated Collegiate Press association. Represented by the National Advertising service, 420 Madison ave., N.Y. Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence). Published at Lawrence, Kans., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays. University holidays and examination periods. Entered as second class matter, Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kans., post office under act of NEWS STAFF NEWS STAFF Executive Editor Nancy Neville Man. Editors LaVerle Yates, Mary Bess Stephens, Irene Coonfer, Tom Lyons News Editor Lee Ann Urban Assistant News Editor Larry Hall Sports Editor Dick Walt Wire Editor Amy DeWong Society Editor Gretchen Guinn Assistant Society Editor Madelyn Brrite Feature Editor Gene Shank News Adviser C. M. Pickett Only this week they went and destroyed the whole world for some thousands of kids—me included—they arrested Dick Tracy. Let's face it, you just can't trust them Texans! ..Oh Well.. DV JUN The micrumbs nab bedded fo rispe eding in Burdin edgtexas. The eywered al little con fusedwhen th ear rested ma ntold em' wh oh ewas. Bu tursure enough it wa syo urfriend a ndmine: Dick Tracvy. You think you got troubles? One lad on the campus is really crowding things. He's a Phi Delt and he's finished all his finals as well as completed and turned in all his reports and term papers. Neki Hokey? Seems that this gent (along with three or four others as I understand it) got caught between two groups in the University AFROTC program. The Air Force couldn't wait. So, to insure those hunks of gold on the shoulders, our hero took the jet-propelled attitude with the studies so he could make the deadline for getting into Air Force blue. (At this point everyone will pause for 10 seconds and wave—oh, vigorously fellows—the flag.) So the next time a jet swoops low over the campanile it may be our hero. Speaking of flying around the campanile, are you sure this guy's a Phi Delt? Old-timers will be glad to know that Paul Muni (Louis Pasteur, Zola Juarez) is back on The Great White Way in "one of the season's best." It is moniker: "Inherit the Wind." It's based on the Scopes Monkey trial in Dayton, Tenn., which took place almost 30 years ago. . . . Muni was a big star when most KU students hadn't even reached the age of Bugs Bunny fans, (Somebody else said this first: "The standard of excellence set by his biographical films has never been equaled.") It Really Happened Department A proud father, demonstrating his knowledge of the Greek alphabet, asked his students recently what they thought of his two little "Chi Omega daughters?" One of the laddies piped up: "Have they been baptized yet in the fountain?" --- KNOTS AND BOLTS DEPARTMENT: A young California lad was bolting down a highway with the police in hot pursuit. He eluded the cops. But it seems he wasn't satisfied. The gendarmes picked up the guy after he tried to tie a knot in the radio aerial of a parked sheriff's car. Oh well. . . HST was gonna' talk to us. But he ain't no more. Seems as how he has to work harder on his memoirs. Oh well . . . that's Life. (That's a pun, son.) Star-Gazing department: Y o u ever had the urge to flop flat on your back on a soft-sand beach and look up at the stars? (Sounds like the opening to a Dorothy Dix letter) . . . Wish we had a beach . . . But we aint. We got an observatory . . . And a telescope . . . And you can use both tonight at 7:30 . . . Good part about it it's open to the public . . . And no admission charge . . . And where else can you see the Marilyn Monroe galaxy without money? Junk Department: Subject for the day—Poetry (again—again?) Bowed by the Of paintbuckets They stand They stand Bowed by the weigh And gaze on students. The students gaze back And throw paint. Pass bv The shysters are embroiled And throw paint And sit on steps And watch girls Jimmy Green and Friend. Oh well . . . LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler At the beginning of 1950 there was one automobile for every three persons 14 years of age or over; by 1975, it is estimated, there will be one car for every two to two and a half persons in that age group. "It's me, Freda. I'm back with th' refreshments." Will Alaska, Hawaii Gain Statehood Now? The House Rules committee has recently resumed consideration of how and when to bring up the bill that would authorize statehood for Hawaii and Alaska. A Democratic leader predicted that the committee probably will send the bill to the House with a closed rule, which means there could be no amendments. Many persons are in favor of making either Alaska or Hawaii a state but not both of them. Hawaii has been predominantly Republican and might add Republican senators to Congress. However, Alaska is mostly Democratic, so the gain would be canceled. For this reason the bill, in order to pass, almost has to be for both. Hawaii has taken the lead in efforts to gain statehood. Hawaiians seem to feel that they are entitled to statehood because Hawaii has a larger population and pays more federal taxes than some of the present states. Of 500,000 residents, 85 per cent are American citizens. Some of the opposition to statehood for Hawaii has arisen because in time it would bring two senators of Asiatic extraction to Congress. Some Southern Congressmen fear that it would encourage racial voting. The Communist control of organized labor in Hawaii also has been against the territory. Others feel that if Hawaii becomes a state there would be no reason to keep out Guam, the Virgin Islands, and other territories. Alaska's size has hurt her in regard to statehood. Texas, in its typical attitude, does not want to lose its title of being the largest state in the Union. The territory is 870 miles from the United States but only 60 miles from Russian Siberia. For this reason President Eisenhower has said he would prefer to grant statehood to only the populated area of Alaska rather than the entire territory. One reason that many persons are against admitting either territory as a state is that according to the Constitution, statehood is irrevocable. If the territories became states their status could never be changed. Those who are in favor of statehood feel that it is desirable to eliminate hampering and discriminatory federal controls over the territories. But more and more persons are beginning to agree that statehood is not the only solution to this problem. They feel that if Hawaii and Alaska were granted a commonwealth status, it would correct the problems that exist now without bringing on the complications that statehood might incur. Alaska and Hawaii both voted for statehood, but they had only two choices—for or against. Many persons feel that they should have a chance to express themselves on the issue of commonwealth. In 1954 a proposal for commonwealth put forth in Congress was defeated 60-24. Another proposal for referendums in each territory to determine what they wanted was rejected 59-26. At that time a Hawaiian delegate said Hawaii would demand a refund on federal taxes since 1900 if it were made a commonwealth instead of a state If the territories were made commonwealths, they would operate under a plan similar to that of Puerto Rico, which has a self-governing status to fit its needs. Congress could provide for a mum of federal control and define the manner in which it should be administered. Other advantages of statehood, such as federal tax exemption, could be granted. This session of Congress no doubt will take up the issue again, but it looks as though it will be a long time before the American flag will have more than 48 stars. —Lee Ann Urban int main( int argc ) { int i = 1; while ( i < argc ) { printf ("\n"); i++; } }