Kansas State Historical Society Topeka, Ks.
A-Blast Sighted In 7 States in West
Atop Mt. Charleston, Nev.—(U.P.)—An atomic device, probably the prototype of a "city-buster" nuclear weapon for an inter-continental guided missile, was exploded today with a roaring flash that shook a house 370 miles away and lit the skies in seven western states.
The fourth and most powerful of the 1955 nuclear test series was triggered atop a 500-foot steel tower by the Atomic Energy commission at Yucca Flat in the Nevada atomic proving grounds.
As usual, the AEC remained mum as to the official "yield" of the device. It said merely that it was not as powerful as some which were touched off two years ago during the last previous test series.
The flash spread across the predawn western skies for 800 miles in all directions, hitting the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon, as well as California and Nevada, where the flashes normally are sighted.
So brilliant was the flash it temporarily blinded observers atop this peak, 45 air miles from the detonation.
Unofficial observers who have witnessed all or most of the test explosions during the past five years rated it as equivalent of some 40,000 tons of TNT. This compares to the 25,000-ton rating accorded the Nagasaki and Hiroshima destroyers.
Today's blast was touched off right on schedule. It was the 35th inside the United States, counting the first A-bomb of all time at Alamagordo, N.M.
The heftiest blast ever observed, in March of 1953, threw out a flash that was seen in Montana, 1,000 miles distant. It unofficially was calculated at a 50,000-ton rating.
Three previous blasts at Yucca Flat—one an air burst dropped from a B-36 and the other two tower shots—have produced comparatively "baby-sized" results, unofficially estimated to be less than 15,000 tons in strength, and perhaps below the 5,000-ton mark.
The ABC never has officially disclosed the yields of its test devices.
closed the yentles of Although troops and airmen participated in today's test, getting their schooling in the age of nuclear warfare, the shot apparently was far too strong to be of use on a tactical-size weapon in the close quarters of the battlefield.
The AFC is known to be testing warheads for guided missiles, including the entire range upward from "baby" tips for the noses of air-to-air, ground-to-air and other smaller missiles through the bigger ones that can be hurled from off-shore submarines, or even across oceans when such missiles are perfected.
So strong was today's explosion that its shock wave "perceptibly" shook a house in Salt Lake City, 370 air line miles away.
A possible steering committee for the proposed KU honor system was formed by nine students, representing major campus organizations, who met with the UVO honor system committee Saturday to discuss whether a KU honor system would be practicable and effective.
Honor System Group Formed
At the session were Robert Kennedy, engineering senior. All Student council president; Letty Lemon, journalism senior, executive editor of the University Daily Kansan, and Joseph Steinbacher, business junior. Inter-Fraternity council president.
Sue Summerville, fine arts junior,
Panhellenic council representative;
Margaret Arnold, education junior.
Independent Students' association
president, and Mary Ann Curtis,
fine arts junior, Forensic league
president.
The purpose of the steering committee, with the help of the Forensic league, is to present objectively the proposed honor system to the other organizations and houses on the Hill.
Jim Mears, business senior, YMCA representative; Peggy Whitney, education junior, YWCA president; Betty Lu Gard, education senior, outgoing president of the Associated Women students, and Dorothy Ann Sheets, AWS president. All but Miss Gard will serve on the steering committee.
Weather
Warmer weather and fair skies are in store for Kansas. The break in the March cold spell started Sunday and the warmup speeded up today. The wind is shifting from the north to the south and southwest. Maximum temperatures in Kansas Sunday ranged from 40 degrees at Concordia to 50 degrees at Garden City. Low temperatures today were spread between 19 degrees at Goodland to 30 degrees at Hutchinson. The low tonight will be near 30. High Tuesday 60s southwest to 55 to 60 northeast.
Francis Sellers, graduate student,
Howard Foster, college sophomore,
and Frederick Krey, second year
law, members of the UVO honor
committee, led the discussion.
Kansan Photo by Liz Wohlgemuth
A QUESTION—Speaking at the CCUN Model session, Rip Collins pauses for a question from the floor.
Daily Hansan
52nd Year, No. 102
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Monday, March 7, 1955
TIMBER--Two fraternity Paul Bunyons swing the ax as IFC members clear Centennial park to open
Kansan Photo by Dick Roberts
800 Greeks Clean Up City's Centennial Park
KU and London Teams To Debate Tomorrow
Last year's winners of the West Point National debate tournament, William Arnold and Hubert Bell, college seniors, will meet a debate team from the University of London in an international debate at 4 p.m. tomorrow in Fraser theater.
The Britons, under the sponsorship of the Institute of International Education, are meeting debate teams from universities and colleges throughout the nation.
She is president of the University Union and was editor of the Bedford college literary magazine.
Miss Copeman, 23, was born in Essex, England, entered Bedford college at the University of London in 1950. She achieved an honors degree in English in 1954.
Lester Borley, 23, was born in Pontderdave, Glamorgan, South Wales. He entered Queen Mary college at the University of London in 1951 and is reading for an honors degree in geography.
The English team, Jennifer Copeman, of the College of Estate Management, and Lester Borley, of Queen Mary college, will take the affirmative against the KU team on the question, resolved, that freedom of speech is substantially decreasing in the United States today.
He was president of the college union and is now deputy president of the University Union. He was a member of the British delegation, sponsored by the Council for the Education in World Citizenship, to the Youth Festival at Rouen, France in 1948.
Model UN Passes Mock Bills As Russia Stages Walkouts
Delegates at the Model United Nations assembly Friday and Saturday in Green theater passed several resolutions despite the fact that the blue-suited Russian delegation cast aspersions and staged two walkouts.
About 77 delegates, representing 12 Kansas and Missouri colleges and universities, University exchange students, and other campus groups, attended the meetings.
Be it resolved: "That any issue vetoed by the Security council shall be immediately referred to the General assembly, which can then, after discussion, override that veto by a three-fourths majority of the member nations in which 8 of the 11 members of the Security council must concur."
Resolution II, USSR. Whereas: "Stability must be maintained in Asia, whereas, in the words of that great Soviet leader, Abenski Lincolnovick, 'A house divided against itself cannot stand', whereas, we should resolve it.
Among the resolutions passed Saturday were:
Joan McKee, college senior, was crowned UN queen at the international dinner Friday night in the Student Union. About 66 persons attended the dinner, and Brian M. Dunning, special graduate student, was master of ceremonies.
Nino LoBello, sociology instructor, spoke at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Green theater, giving his evaluation of the Model UN assembly.
Resolution I, U.S.A., Whereas: "The United States recognizes that the veto power of the Security council constitutes an absolute impediment in the realization of the general will of the member nations."
More than 800 fraternity and sorority members took part in the community help project sponsored Saturday by the Inter-fraternity council and the Panhellenic council. The students, using tools provided by the city of Lawrence, cleared the area, designated by the city as the new Centennial park.
Although somewhat hampered by the cold and moist conditions which made burning brush difficult, high spirits prevailed throughout the day. Each organized house was assigned a specific area to clear, but members of the various houses cooperated with each other to speed up work.
The work project marked the opening of Greek week, which will continue for the rest of this week, ending Saturday night with the IFC-sponsored dance featuring Louis Armstrong.
Mr. Armstrong will play in the Union ballroom from 8 to 12 Saturday night. Admission is $1 per person, and tickets are on sale to all students.
Other events in the week's activities include an all-student convoaction Friday morning, with Richard Harkness, radio and television news analyst, as the speaker. Mr. Harkness also will speak at a scholarship banquet sponsored by the IFC Thursday evening.
Following the scholarship banquet, the annual sorority-fraternity song fest will be held. Saturday afternoon, the IFC chariot race will be run, followed by an all-Greek picnic at Potter lake. The dance that night will end the week's activities.
AWS House Elects New Officers
Janet R. Severin, college junior,
was elected vice president of the
AWS House of Representatives
vesterday.
Other new officers are Mollie M. Stamper, college freshman, secretary; Beverly B. Churchill, college sophomore, treasurer, and Ona M. Finney, college sophomore, representative to AWS senate.
President of the House is Carol A. Mather, education junior, vice president of the Senate.
The new officers will be installed at the regular meeting Thursday.