Monday. Nov. 2. 1953
Novel on Negroes, Whites Focuses On Most Significant Aspect: People
"Widow Man," a novel by Edgar Wolfe, instructor in English at the University of Kansas, is here reviewed by Walter J. Meserve, assistant professor of English. The book is being published by the Atlantic Monthly Press and Little, Brown and Company. The price is $3.00).
The typed man of strength, of course, would have gone away and, by becoming successful, lend himself to a false and romantic novel. But Tom is not very strong, nor particularly noble. He tries only to be honest and fair with the world—and himself. In this novel Mr. Wolfe simply, realistically, and effectively portrays the internal tensions and the external forces acting on a man who must make an exceedingly dramatic choice concerning his way of life.
Then a change came over Tom; he sensed a freedom, a feeling of being "all free and equal again—all white." He saw a chance to have his name changed from the colored list in the welfare bureau, to become a part of white society again. There was only one thing to do: move from Quarry Hill. But it was not that simple. Should be sell his house and risk being put off relief? Should he finally buy an artificial leg? Would he be able to get a job anyway? And then there was Tunesie Graybill, the pretty and virtuous, yet flirty young Negro divorcee who aroused his "nature."
Tom knew what he was getting into before he married Diola. "You marry outside your race an' the whites won't let you be white any more, an' the colored won't quite let you be colored. You're just left high an' dry, off special to yourself, an' that ain't so good." Now, without Diola, there was nothing to keep Tom in Quarry Hill, nothing except a way of life he knew. Although he enjoyed dreaming of being "white" again, he could not seem to do much more; and he was too practical and too much a man of expedition not to realize
When Mr. and Mrs. Tom Way first moved to Quarry Hill to lose themselves in that mixed community of Negroes and whites, they were young and happy with each other but hurt by those people who could not understand a white man with a colored wife. Years passed. Tom lost a leg in an accident and began to use his physical handicap as something to blame for not leading a useful life. Then Diola died, and Tom with only one leg beneath him and 50 years behind him grieved and felt sorry for himself.
the odds against him. Beyond that he was not a little afraid of the white world. Only one thing was clear: Tom Way was not meant to be a widow man. Tunesie knew that immediately. But what white woman would have Tom after his past? Only someone like Rose Dishzer, the prostitute.
The three main characters present a curious triangle: Tom, Tunesie, and old, senile, almost unbelievably filthy Mrs. Bradford, a white woman, whose abusive treatment of Tunesie angered Tom. Tom always felt people staring at him when he was with Diola, but somehow these same people could understand him sitting in a bus with filthy stinking Mrs. Bradford. And even Tom could see the difference; to him color meant very little, but he thought that to be white was to be understood.
He places no blame, tries not to create unnecessary disturbances; yet it is a thought provoking story. He does not deny prejudices, nor does he imply that all are on the side of the whites. He says simply that understanding is necessary for life and that the color of a person's skin doesn't make the difference.
Mr. Wolfe tells a thoroughly interesting and meaningful story, showing considerable understanding and insight into a confused part of our society. One of many admirable features is the subtlety of his approach. Color is not emphasized. From the beginning he shows that he is concerned not with Negroes or whites but with people—people who experience the thoughts and emotions that govern all mankind.
And here Mr. Wolfe's clever irony produces a startling effect. For it is not the white people who understand Tom. No! Mrs. Bradford damns him; no one accepts him in society. Only Tunesie really understands him. She can help him, taunt him, give him faith in himself, make him get an artificial leg and a job; in her way she brings out the best that is in him.
to bolster this theme of understanding Mr. Wolfe introduces the Ewings, an educated and comparatively well-to-do family who could have left Quarry Hill but chose to stay so their daughter might understand their life. There isn't any life without understanding, says Mrs. Ewing, and Tom would agree because he knew what she meant and because he did not really want to move. He accepted his fate that to be white was not for him with something of relief. Here with Tunesie was understanding—and life.
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The first Sour Owl of the year comes out, and we hear that already the critics who've only been here three years are telling their friend the magazine "isn't as good as it was about five years ago."
Short Ones
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So the Big Red team came to its feet for the playing of the Alma Mater when they were up at Nebraska. Apparently, absence does make the heart grow fonder.
. . .
Page 2 University Daily Kansan Monday, Nov. 2, 1953
Meaning no offense to anyone, we feel we should report having heard at least one "amen" when Dr. John Ise was named the "Biggest Bum on Campus" at the Bum's Ball the other night.
by Dick Bibler
The letter from Bob Pope, ASC Senator from the Graduate School, which appeared in the Kansan Oct. 20 is very enlightening. Apparently all these announcements of decisions of the elections committee which have come from committee chairman Dana Anderson were Anderson's own decisions. Pope, who is a member of the committee, reports that Anderson has not even called a meeting of the committee.
These two delegates had walked out of the meetings in protest of Allied actions a few days before. When they heard one of the prisoners had changed his mind they came rushing back to the meeting.
Anderson's ASC Work Questioned
Is this an example of democratic self-government by the students? Is it Mr. Anderson's intent to try to run the ASC, Pachacamac, and FOR in the same high-handed manner in the college his own university is no longer the students have such a low regard for their local political bosses.
Loy Bilderback,
College senior;
Emil Haar,
College freshman,
They evidently didn't want to miss any chance to throw a monkey wrench into the proceedings. They wanted to question the lone returning prisoner.
To the Editor:
The Reds are far less than satisfied with the way the exchange has gone so far. They have had just a handful of the 22,400 prisoners return to Communism. Reports have it that many of those who have returned were planted "stooges."
"I'm afraid the engineers have tricked you, Miss LaTour. The drawing course you were hired to model for is in the fine arts building."
In trying to save face with the overlords back home the Reds have done everything but wreck the conference. They have stalled about the accommodations at the site. They have tried to get the final date of the explaining set back.
First GI Crosses Line While 'Neutral Persuaders' Fight
One of the side lights of the affair concerning Dickenson was the antics of the Polish and Czech members of the Neutral Nations Repatriation commission.
Allied efforts to change the minds of the 23 prisoners of the Communists from the ways of the Reds and back to the ways of their homeland have paid off even before they officially begin.
The success came in the form of the return of Pfe. Edward Dickenon, of Crackers Neck, Va. However, there are still 22 prisoners left for the Reds to gloat over.
Dickenson said that he thought some more of the remaining prisoners would return. Perhaps when the talks start many of them will reject their stubborn clinging to Communism.
In almost every attempt they have failed. Although it can't be said that the Allies are winning this war of persuasion, they are at least getting their share of the victories.
The question still remains as to how long the two clowns of the commission will remain. They will probably resume the role of the circus bear, the Russian bear, of course.
Ken Cov
For three years the city has been trying to figure out a workable traffic control system for this intersection, which is the meeting point of two highways and the north end of the main business thoroughfare.
New Traffic Signals Mean No More' Dodge 'Em' Game
At last—no more games of "dodge 'em" at the intersection of pt and Massachusetts streets.
At last they have it - stop lights! Four lights have been installed, at the southwest corner, the southeast corner, the northeast corner, and on the concrete traffic island dividing the entrance to U.S. Highway 40.
HOE day and Stud
This intersection has been a dangerous one because of the amount of traffic it carries. A car attempting to make a left turn from the east or west has been in a particularly bad position. The lights should also prevent cars going north on Massachusetts from making U-turns at that point.
—Don Tice.
Again we say "hooray!" No more truck dodging.
The traffic situation at that corner has also been alleviated somewhat by the construction of the direct link west of Lawrence between U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. 40, which eliminates routing traffic through down-town Lawrence.
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Boy, won't it be swell to have that Thanksgiving vacation so you can write those three papers and review those two books? Maybe everyone would find it handier all around if we just stayed here and ate turkey at our desks.
There are more than 12,000 independent companies engaged in the production of crude oil in this country. These include oil and gas field contract services, and companies producing crude petroleum, natural gasoline and natural gas.
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The tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National cemetery has one of the largest single blocks of marble quarried in America. It came from an almost solid mountain of marble in western Colorado and was cut to size in Vermont.