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University Daily Kansan Wednesday, May 12, 1954
Much Progress Shown In Israel's Six Years
Saturday, May 15, the people of the Jewish faith, as well as many other people of many faiths, will celebrate the sixth anniversary of a memorable event in the history of the world—the founding of the Republic of Israel as a nation after nearly 2,000 years of oppression and having its people scattered throughout the world.
Not since the defeat of the Jewish nations about 100 years B.C. by the Assyrian armies and the Roman Legions have the Jews held political control over their home ḳ Biblical times.
The refounding of the Republic of Israel is termed by some as a victory of the people's collective will bolstered by the strength of their nationalistic religion and cultural customs.
The movement of the Jewish people back to their home of Biblical times began around 1860 and corresponded with the rise of liberalism in Europe during that time. This movement has continued through the present.
The biggest rush to Israel came at the time of the country's founding in 1948, when the Jewish population increased by 100 per cent. The vast majority of the people that came in this movement were World War II refugees from European countries, and as a whole they were entirely destitute. This points up one of the big obstacles the Republic of Israel had to overcome.
Another major roadblock Israel ran into in 1948 was war. In the years previous to 1948 the territory was under British mandate, and the people could not even possess arms, let alone train armies.
When the British left Israel on May 15, 1948, seven Arab nations immediately declared war on the new country. The people of Israel won this war, but they literally had to take the arms out of the hands of their enemies before they could fight.
This threat of war between Israel and the Arab nations still hangs heavy over the heads of the people of the Republic of Israel. One of the ultimate objectives expressed by the people of Israel is the establishment of peace in the Middle East.
This they think they can attain in time. One factor entering into the picture, however, is the fact that Israel is an island of democracy surrounded by countries with predominantly totalitarian governments. In addition, the governments of these surrounding countries tend to be unstable, as shown by the revolutions and deposition of leaders in Egypt and Iran.
The Jewish nation has a lot of industry, and is developing more all the time. The surrounding countries are predominantly agricultural with the exception of large oil reserves. If peace can be attained in the Middle East all parties concerned will be much better off in the long run since the combination and cooperation of the industrial and agricultural elements will do much to forward the well-being of the whole area.
One feather in the cap of the Republic of Israel is that it is one of the few countries in that area—and in the world for that matter—where the growth of communism is not a pressing problem.
In 1948, 5 to 6 per cent of the population was Communistic. At present only 1 to 2 per cent of the people are Communists, and the number is steadily declining.
The people of Israel will not be fooled by the propaganda of the Communists, since many of them came to Israel from under a thumb of that type of governmental philosophy.
The first six years of the Republic of Israel have been marked by progress in many respects—may we hope that the next-six, and many more after that, will show the same trend. —Don Tice
One thought on the proposed establishing of the Air Academy near here is that provisions should also be made for a girls' school, because the already poor men-women ratio—some call it ration—on the Hill would really be shot.
Enclosed is a note, the contents of which I respectfully suggest ought to be disclosed one way or another to the track fans of this area, if not to the entire U.S., lest we forget all too quickly the prowess of KU's Wes Santee.
...LETTERS...
At the moment reports indicate Roger Bannister of Great Britain has become the first human to crack the fabled 4-minute mile with a brilliant 3:59.4 of last Thursday. No one could minimize this phenomenal athletic triumph, but the attainment in no way detracts from the ability of Santee.
The glittering Jayhawk Antelope must still stand crowned as THE all-time great in track achievement. In light of Santee's ability to: cruise the 440 airborne 49 seconds, the 880 an eyelash off the world's record, the mile run but a second or two from the same rating, and playfully spin the 2-mile around 9 minutes flat (8:58.0 Saturday, Ed.)—who would seriously deny the Ashland flyer the title of the World's greatest middle distance runner?
Since last February, Wes has given of himself without stint to our own Kansas Cinderdem, flashing terrific times in all KU and Big 7 contests, not to mention the Baker's Mile in Chicago. These demands for great performances several times a week have not afforded the luxury of gunning for the 4-minute mile with the same leisure the Englishman approached the task.
Only sheer luck combined to allow Bannister his performance before that of Santee. If logic and a study of the record book thus far don't warrant this conclusion, it's a sure-fire bet the sports pages of the very near future will!
Hats off to the greatest runner in the world, Wes Santee
Glen Opie 3rd Year Law
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
UNIVERSITY
Daily Hansam
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room KU 251 Ad room KU 376 Member of the Kansas Press Assn. University of Kansas Press Assn., Associated Collegiate Press Assn. Represented by the National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Avenue, N.Y. City, Subscription rate $85.95 for a semester if Lawrence). Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturday. Subscription examination periods. Entered second class matter Sept. 17, 1910 at Lawrence, Kan., Post office un-.
Lawrence, 1879 der act of March 3.
"Good thing we're going to a Halloween party—Worthal's blind date thinks he's wearing a mask."
...SHORT ONES...
Next year the library will put out a handbook explaining the purpose, function, and operation of the library to be given to all registering students. We suggest at least one paragraph on how not to get pinched in the turnstiles.
It seems the Republicans want to terminate the public aspects of the Army-McCarthy hearings, while the Democrats want to leave them open. Could there possibly be some political thought behind this difference?
Recently the Kansas Supreme Court declared that a horse ridden on a highway after dark must have headlights and tail lights. The next thing you know they will stretch that ruling to people and then every pedestrian will have to get lit up.
Oppenheimer Case May Set Rule
The outcome of the security hearing now in recess for pioneer atomic scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, suspended from his job as government atomic energy adviser pending outcome of the hearing, may set a precedent for the consideration and clearance of other persons in similar predicaments.
The hearing nearly five weeks old is a result of charges that Dr. Oppenheimer associated with Communists in the early 1940's and later tried to block development of the hydrogen bomb. Dr. Oppenheimer, widely known as the physicist who built the atomic bomb, claims to have requested a hearing.
Dr. Oppenheimer has never denied his Communist associations, and has been under the surveillance of the FBI from the time he started working on the atomic bomb, a report of the proceedings reads.
He explained that he belonged to various organizations in United Front days when Communists joined with many non-Communist groups in support of humanitarian objectives. Money he gave these organizations was, he said, "for specific purposes, principally the Spanish War and Spanish relief." He adds that he did not then consider the Communists as dangerous, and some of their declared objectives seemed to him desirable.
Dr. Oppenheimer stated that he had never been a Communist himself, although he has had the party principles explained to him "without success."
He further claims never to have discussed any secret matter with these people. He admits he was approached by a friend who wished to obtain information regarding work being done at the radiation laboratory in California for use of Soviet scientists. He answered with a strong remark that it seemed terribly wrong to him, and admits
that it has long been clear that he should have reported the incident at once.
Herbert Maass, New York lawyer, chairman of the board of trustees of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, N.J., where Dr. Oppenheimer is director, said that throughout his service with the institute there was never any reason to doubt his complete loyalty and sincerity.
And, if Dr. Oppenheimer is telling the truth, he may be expressing the views of a great many people who became involved with the Communists before realizing the true motives of the group.
Final disposition of the case rests with the Atomic Energy commission.
If the statements made by Dr. Oppenheimer are proved to be true, it would seem that he has been tried and tested, and has proved his loyalty.
It would seem that hearings should be allowed for the many people of lesser importance who would like their names cleared of similar accusations, or of the fact that they once were involved. It might be a sort of court to decide their degree of guilt, and give them some sort of status or means of redeeming themselves in the eyes of their fellow citizens.
For those who let themselves get involved too deeply, however, against their better judgment and knowledge of right and wrong, or were afraid to drop their membership, or actually did work contrary to the interests of the U.S.—that is a different story. These people are guilty in varying degrees, and their inherent weaknesses should ever be guarded against. Nevertheless, many may have learned their lessons and still prove to be loyal and useful citizens.
Valera Tebben