Page 2
University Daily Kansan
Friday, Feb. 5, 1954
Boer History Causes South African Problem
The situation in the Union of South Africa, where Prime Minister Daniel F. Malan is ruthlessly implementing a plan for subjugating the blacks, is an outgrowth of the strange background of the Boers, the controlling element in the Union's white population.
The Boers, or Afrikaners, as they are now known, follow the lead of their prime minister because they believe the members of the black race in South Africa are the greatest menace to the preservation of the Boer culture.
This attitude seems strange considering the early history of the Boers. As much as a century and a half ago, these devout Calvinists had decided to move inland from the coast to escape the increasing number of "outlanders."
But their simple life was shattered by what would have been considered a stroke of good fortune anywhere else: the discovery of gold, and later diamonds beneath their lands. In time, South Africa became the leading gold producer in the world.
Their doctrine is called "Apartheid," but they do not practice it in its true sense. Apartheid means complete social separation—the members of one group living apart from persons not considered part of the group.
Once established, the Boers were happy to be left alone. They were primarily hunters and cattlemen, and all members of the strict Dutch Reformed church.
Their trek into the rugged country was a difficult one, and they had to win their inland territory from the natives in a series of short, fierce Kaffir wars.
The Afrikaners, though, don't want separation from the blacks, because when the blacks go, they take with them a part of the Union's wealth—cheap manpower.
The discoveries led to intense immigration by fortune seekers, and the Boers were once again being intruded upon by "outlanders." Tension mounted until the only outcome could be violence. Accordingly, there followed the Boer war, in which the Boers were forced to accept British rule.
Besides losing their independence, the Boers saw that the dream of Apartheid was gone forever. The gold miners had enticed thousands of blacks into the area to operate the rich mines.
Life was becoming so complex that the Boers saw they could not long last as a distinct cultural group. As an attempt to stop the disintegration of their society, they strove to make their language—Low Dutch, a vulgate form of the language spoken by educated Hollanders—the rallying point for their nationalism.
The device worked, for Low Dutch, or "Afrikans," became the trademark of the Boers. With this binding influence, they began to work toward regaining their independence. This movement was culminated in 1910, when self-government and a cabinet were installed.
The non-Boer elements of the population were in the majority, and that situation exists today. There are now about 1,500,000 Afrikaners, 1,000,000 Britishers, and 10,500,000 native or mixed-blood Africans.
In 1910, the Afrikaners gradually secured power because the governmental setup favored rural areas.
Since taking over, they have continued to exploit the wealth of their country by use of the native labor supply. Now, they are in a position from which it would be impossible to dislodge them, and they work to reduce the black men to the status of slaves.
The choice, then, facing these domineering whites who control the Union of South Africa is an impossible one. While they admit that their faith demands separation from the blacks and re-adoption of the austere life of their fathers, they cannot deny that most of them have outgrown the old ability to plot their lives in accordance with their demanding religion. —Tom Stewart
One Man's Opinion
Now that the enrollment procedure (or mess, as it is more commonly referred to) is over everyone can settle down to making a full time job of going to school.
But before doing that we would like to take the time for a few remarks, constructive we hope, concerning enrollment and more particularly the process of registration.
Monday morning the graduating seniors, including yours truly, rushed up to Strong to register for the last time. Since it was the first morning, many mistakenly assumed they had a simple process ahead of them.
Alas, such was not the case. It seems that the regular registration line was using the same door as the seniors, and the ensuing mess might well be nightmare material.
"We were instructed to enter the east door of the east wing of Strong. Upon entering, however, we found that the line, that started in the basement, continued to the first floor and out the front door. So, after a scenic tour of the inside of the building, we found ourselves outside once more on the tail end of a grumbling line of students.
At Kansas State and many other similar institutions a system of pre-enrollment is used. This system is set up so students can register and enroll during the latter part of the semester, but not over a longer period of time the "hurry up and wait" hocus-pocus is eliminated.
Perhaps this is just "sour grapes" and such situations can't be avoided. Under the present system perhaps it is unavoidable—so why not change the system?
We have heard that our retarded neighbors up the Kaw do have a different system, and (hiding our heads in shame) we think it sounds good.
While we're stomping on toes we might as well take a kick at those individuals who considered themselves better than the mob and tried, some successfully, to register out of turn.
Not that we would advocate parroting the ways of Silo Tech, but if their enrollment works as smoothly as their football team, we're for giving it a whirl.
We would like to toss a rose, with reservations, to the lad at the door of the registration room who refused to allow people to enter out of turn. The reservations are for the people who did get through before their time. Oh well, everyone has friends.
Don Tice
Sen. William P. Frye of Maine served longer as president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate than any other man. He served from Dec. 2, 1895, to April 27, 1911.
More than 200 million people, roughly a tenth of the human race, live within the Yangtze River basin, in China, says the National Geographic Society.
Member of the Kansas Press Assn., National Editor Assn., Inland Daily Press Assn., Association of Journalists, Raleigh Assn. by the National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Avenue, N.Y. City. Subscription rates: $3 a semester or $8.50 a semester). Published in Lawrence, Kan. every afternoon during the University week. Saturdays at 7 p.m. university vacation summation periods. Entered second class matter Sept. 17, 1910 at Lawrence, Kan. Post Office under act
DAILY KANSAN
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room KU 251 Ad Room KU 376
EDITORIAL. STAFF
Editorial editor Chuck Morelock
Assistants Sam Teaford. Don Tice
NEWS STAFF
; editor Shirley Piatt
; editors Tom M. Mary
; BEL, Vizma Ed, Horowitz
News editor Tom Shannon
Assistant Letty Lemon
Assistant Ken Bronson
Assistant Leonhart
Society editor Elizabeth Wohlgemuth
Assistant Gina Himmer
Society editor Stuart Humble
News adviser C. M. Pickett
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
BUSINESS STAFF
Business mgr. Jane Megafan
Advertising mgr. Ann Alnsworth
Nat. adv. mgr. Susanne Berry
Classified adv. mgr. Wendell Sullivan
Renaissance Diva
Promotion mgr. Ed Bartlett
Advertising adviser Gene Bratton
"I used to have the darndest time getting those front row seats filled up."
Sen. Ferguson to Lay GOP Support on Line in November
"Detroit's symbol of civic virtue." Senator Homer Ferguson, senior senator from Michigan, comes up for re-election this year.
He was elected to the Senate in 1942, defeating Prentiss M. Brown, a better than average senator. In a bitter radio campaign, Brown warned voters that a Republican would be lost in the Democratic woods. Ferguson retorted, "As a bird hunter I know my way around the woods and will use the Constitution as a compass." This simple statement is an expression of his beliefs. He believes in investigation and in the Constitution as it is written and not what it might imply.
Sen. Ferguson was born in Harrison City, Pa., on Feb. 25, 1893. He was graduated from Irwin high and then mined coal and taught in a country school to pay his way through college.
He attended the University of Pittsburgh for two years and then went to the University of Michigan, where he was graduated in June of 1913 with a bachelor of law degree.
Sen. Ferguson was admitted to the Michigan bar in 1913. But he taught school again and studied medicine and dentistry before deciding four years later he wanted to practice law. His first year as a lawyer only netted him $862. His brother joined him a year later and they formed the successful law firm of Ferguson and Ferguson.
He was appointed a circuit judge in 1929 and was elected to the position in 1930. He held the office until his election as senator.
While he was circuit judge, he was appointed to investigate graft in the Detroit Common council and then to investigate certain Wayne county officials.
In regard to his investigations Ferguson would say, "My old Dad used to say 'even a blind hog will find an occasional acorn if he keeps his nose down'."
Once elected to the Senate he continued his investigating activities. He was a member of the Senate committee investigating the national defense program which revealed faking of analysis of the quality and strength of substandard steel to meet the specifications of war orders.
During the Roosevelt administration he shared the opinions his Republican colleagues regarding the New Deal. Sen. Ferguson voted against most of the Roosevelt proposals.
Sen. Ferguson is economy-minded. He has voted for income tax reductions every time a bill has been introduced, and was one of four senators who voted against an eight cent an hour wage increase to one million non-operating railway employees.
Sen. Ferguson, the investigator, has introduced bills to investigate monopolistic practices in the oleomargarine industry and investigate the procurement of supplies for national defense.
He has introduced bills to control subversive activities. He also proposed a bill which would make it unlawful for any person to be employed in government if there was any doubt of his loyalty.
National defense and foreign aid are important to Sen. Ferguson. He has always voted in favor of foreign aid proposals. He voted for the European Recovery program providing aid to 16 West European nations and for Greek-Turkish aid. He voted for sending troops to Europe and for a peacetime draft.
Sen. Ferguson does not believe in government price supports, and has voted against farm price supports, and wool price supports.
He is pro-big business, voting for the Taft-Hartley bill and against any increase in TVA funds.
Social welfare proposals are not considered wise by Sen. Ferguson. He has voted against school lunch appropriations, unemployment compensation, the Housing and.Rent act of 1950, and disability pension increases.
He is active in Detroit civic affairs and is a director of the Boys Clubs of America. He is a member of the American, Michigan, and Detroit Bar associations. —Elizabeth Wohlgemuth