Campaign to Clear Smoking Controlled by Wrong Group
Whether or not smoking causes lung cancer has been a sure-fire conversational gambit for several years now and last week most of the major powers of the tobacco industry began a campaign to keep cigarets clear of the cancer scare.
In many daily papers last week there appeared a one-page ad entitled "A Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers." If taken at face value, the ad was a move by most of the major cigaret makers and tobacco growers to put the cards on the table, to admit that there have been "experiments" which would seem to put the smoking habit in a bad light.
At the same time, the ad asked the smokers of America not to pass judgment on the business of smoking until more conclusive tests have been made. It was for this purpose that the ad was run —to announce the formation of the Tobacco Industry Research committee.
Apparently the tobacco people have decided that if enough people get to believing the cancer rumors the industry will take a pretty severe drop in business. This feeling is something new, because they formerly clung to the belief that Americans, notorious for neglecting their health, will pooh-pooh the peddlers of good advice.
So now the industry publishes a "frank statement" and offers to set up a committee to conduct research. Very noble, indeed. However, it doesn't ring true, because it's a pretty safe bet that any researchers being paid by the tobacco interests won't
come up with findings that will cancel out a thriving industry.
We aren't too impressed by the committee, nor yet the "frank statement." If as the sponsors (and members) of the committee claim, "the fact that cigarette smoking today should even be suspected as a cause of a serious disease is a matter of deep concern to us," the most straightforward thing they could do is turn the problem—and the money—over to a reliable independent reseach organization, one which has no tie with the tobacco industry.
If the independent researchers were given a free hand, their findings would have much more credibility than anything produced by a group investigating itself.
To give the "research" a slightly more up-and-up appearance, the tobacco people intend to put at the head of the committee "a scientist of unimpeachable integrity and national repute." Maybe he'll be one of the often-publicized thousands of doctors who "always smoke Camels."
A group of "distinguished men from medicine, science, and education" will be allowed to "advise the committee on its research activities. These experts will be lumped on an advisory board.
The fact that the doctors and scientists will be limited to advising while the research is controlled by the committee of representatives from the cigaret companies and tobacco growers indicates one thing:
The reins are in the wrong hands.—Tom Stewart
Make or Break Theme Faces 83rd Congress
The 83rd Congress opened its second session last week. There were many speeches by the President outlining his legislative program and a great deal of talk as senators got together again for the first time since last summer.
This session will be an eventful one. It may make or break the present Republican administration. The year may decide whether Eisenhower is to go down in history as a great President or only a mediocre one. At any rate many important issues affecting the lives of the American people will be decided.
In the Senate there are 47 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and one independent, Wayne Morse of Oregon, who usually votes with the Democrats.
The success of Mr. Eisenhower's legislative program will depend on how much cooperation he will get from the Democratic members of the House and Senate. The Republicans hold a very slim margin of control in Congress.
In the house are 219 Republicans. . .
215 Democrats and one independ- the n
Not only are the issues important this year, but it is also election year and both parties will be attempting to impress the voting public. The Democrats, of course, would like to regain control of Congress and the Republicans would like to remain in power and increase their now slim margin of control.
ent, Frazer Reams of Ohio, who usually votes with the Democrats.
The Eisenhower honeymoon is over. The Republicans must take the initiative this year or their stay in power may only be a brief one.
Important issues to be decided in this session are the St. Lawrence seaway, statehood for Hawaii, lowering the voting age to 18, revisions in the Taft-Hartley law, increasing be national debt limit, foreign aid.
defense spending, tax cuts, and the issue of congressional investigations into communism and subversion.
The administration probably will have to deal with the problem of an economic decline. They must decide how to halt the trend of how they will provide security for everyone.
The farm issue will be very important since many Congressmen rely on the farm vote for their place in Congress.
No matter what is decided or who comes from the debates during the year, it will be an eventful session.
Elizabeth A. Wohlgemuth
Books
Page 2 University Daily Kansan Monday. Jan. 18, 1954
Fabulous Chicago by Emmett Dedmon (Random House) records the life of "the boss city of the universe" with the impact, humor and color of a superb novel. Dedmon, assistant Sunday editor of the Chicago Sun-Times, has exercised consummate editorial skill to fit Chicago's story into 359 pages without losing the flavor of the familiar tales. Here are recreated Chicago's Indian heritage, the early dramas of mud and building, the episodes of gargantuan growth starting from Mark Beaubien's tavern (first building in Chicago not a log cabin), the development of Chicago puritanism and culture, the lusty, raucous, account of Chicago's bawdy life from the "sporting houses" of a century ago through the organized big-time gangsterism of Colosimo, Torrio, O'Banion and Capone. Society, literature, opera and business share attention with violence and scandal. . .
University of Kansas Student Newspaper News Room KU 251 Ad Room KU 376 Member of the Kansas Press Assn., Nassau Assn., Associated College Press Assn., Associated Collegiate Press Assn. Represented by the National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Avenue, N.Y. City. Subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4季度的 subscription). Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University of Kansas university holidays and examination periods. Entered second class matter Sept. 17, 1910 at Lawrence, Kan., Post Office under act
Daily Bansan
NEWS STAFF
Executive Editor Ken Coy
Managing Editors Ed Howard,
Nick Tlee, Dean Eveno Betz
News Editor Shirley Jeyz
Assistant Tom Shannon
Sports Editor Stan Hamilton
Anna Brown Letty Lemon
Society Letty Lemon
Elizabeth Wolghenthim
Feature Exchange Ed Calder M. Fickett
News-Ed Adviser Calder M. Fickett
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editorial Editor ... Clarke Keys
Assistants ... Jerry Krusdon,
Chairman ... Chris Gale
Flashbacks in History From the Daily Kansan
The University of Kansas, 1929 and 1944. This month the chief topic for conversation on the University campus has been the naming of a new football coach, but here's what they were talking about 10 and 25 years ago:
10 YEARS AGO
University women were not enthusiastic about entering military service. "The glamour of a uniform doesn't appeal to me," one said, adding that "I like civilian clothes better." One who did desire to join the military had this to say: "I would like very much to join the WAAF after I graduate, because I feel that even after the war is over there will be a large field for flyers. Also, I like to be alone in the clouds."
A navy trainee, not adept at sewing, decided to get outside help. He sent his uniform to Lawrence church women who were doing that work for K.U. servicemen. The uniform came back with the stripes sewed on the inside, not the outside, of the left shoulder.
Arthur Rubenstein, concert pianist, appeared before 1,000 in Hoeck auditorium. The famous Polish pianist was on tour. His selections included "Appassionata" by Beethoven, "Prelude" by Debussy, and "Nocturne" by Chopin.
And then there was the time a student called his good looking instructor. She told him what he wanted to know about the course, said goodbye, and then, without hanging up, turned to a friend to say, "He's real cute, too." A low-pitched wolf whistle came from the receiver.
25 YEARS AGO
K. U. met Kansas State college in basketball for the 99th time and won 36-30. Charley Moffett, Jayhawker forward, hit 17 points to take the conference scoring lead. It was the second Big Six win for the Jayhawkers.
Two organized houses, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, were placed under temporary quarantine after one of the fraternity's men became seriously ill with spinal meningitis. He had attended an Alpha Omicron Pi party, making it necessary also to quarantine the sorority.
A University professor of engineering drawing had developed plans for converting car seats into beds. Blue prints of his plans were on file with the U.S.Patent Office.The professor had a model for his own car, which he said could be changed in four or five minutes.
The Student Union, in use but not completed, was criticized by an editorial in the Kansan. Although the editorial agreed the dancing floor was good, it said "there are many large barns in the country which would present as fine an appearance as this unfinished structure. Finish the Union building now," the editorial exhorted.
"The Last Warning," starring Laura LaPlante, was being shown at the Bowersock theater in Lawrence. It was described as a picture of "a thousand thrills." The prices: 10 and 40 cents for the matinee, 10 and 50 cents for evening.
Kansas State defeated K.U., but this time in wrestling. The score was 20-8. Each team won a fall, but K-State won five decisions to one for the Jayhawker matmen.
LITTLE MAN ON CAMPUS by Dick Bibler
"Our boys just aren't hitting tonight, Coach, and I understand that girl I over there bet they wouldn't be."