University Daily Kansan Monday. April 27,1953
Adenauer Deserves 'Old Fox, Mr. Europe' Titles
Konrad Adenauer, chancellor of West Germany, who visited in the U.S. 13 days, is now back in Germany. While here, he assured Secretary of State John Dulles and President Eisenhower that he would make a serious effort to reach an agreement with France over the status of the coal-rich Saar which has been holding up French ratification of the European Defense community.
If France ever sees the light and stops putting off ratification, Adenauer, 77, will be the man responsible.
He has done everything possible to bring about the six-nation union of Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg.
But his accomplishments go deeper than that. To be in a position to work for this union, he has had to resist all pressures and opposition to keep West Germany democratic.
From bribes to threats, Russia has tried everything to win West Germany to its side. The domestic situation has been rocky. Communists and neo-Nazis, often in collaboration, have been working toward totalitarianism; the nationalist elements have been seeking a rebirth of old-fashioned German unity, and the labor-supported Social Democrats and peasant-supported Christian Democrats have been struggling for power.
Religion is Adenauer's hope for the solution of Europe's problems. He is a devout Catholic. He entered politics and by 1917 became leader of Germany's conservative Center party, the Roman Catholics' political organ.
Adenauer was born Jan. 5, 1876, in Cologne. He aimed his sights at politics and studied law.
He joined a district attorney's staff, and advanced to deputy mayorship of Cologne, to Lord High Mayor of Cologne and then to leadership of the Center party in 1917.
For 16 years, he brought his city advancement. When the Cologne Nazis put up swastikas to celebrate Hitler's visit to the city in 1933, Adenauer opposed them. Hitler removed him from office and banished him from Cologne.
The Gestapo put him in joil in 1934 and 1944 with his wife.
He was reinstated as mayor in 1945 when the United States captured the city, but ousted five months later by England for not obeying orders fast enough.
When West Germany set up its own government after the Western allies had failed to talk Russia into unifying Germany as a non-Communist country, Adenauer supervised the drafting of its constitution.
In the first election under: the new constitution in 1949 Adenauer became West Germany's first chancellor. His party won control of the new parliament.
As before, he worked for the advancement of his people. He talked his people into joining the six nation coal-steel community proposed by Robert Schuman, then French foreign minister.
He signed a contract with the West allowing Allied soldiers to stay in West Germany and calling for enlistment of West Germans into what he and the Allies, France excluded, hoped would be the German divisions of a West European army.
Adenauer has never earned his nickname "the old fox" more than in his dealings with the Allies. He talked the Western Allies out of dismantling Germany's industrial plants. He also talked the U.S. out of $3,635,-000,000 to allow his country to recover. West Germany is approaching economic domination of Western Europe.
Adenauer is tall and stern-looking with a cold manner. But in Washington, he showed warmness, sincere gratitude.
By all the standards of history, Adenaue is the greatest man of all times. For whether or not he is "the old fox," he deserves his other nickname, "Mister Europe."
—Bob Nold
French-American Amity Rests on U.S. Trends
Editor's Note: The following article, sixth in a series by foreign students, was written by Yves Gandhain of Libourne, France, a student of business and economics. "Do the French hate the Americans?"
Such is the question often put to me here. At first I was a little surprised, and wondered what could have put this idea into the heads of our American friends.
But I realized then that visitors to France from this country may be struck by the abundance of anti-American propaganda appearing everywhere as posters and slogans on walls and pavements; slogans which are all the more conspicuous by their being written in English with the express intent that those addressed should understand them, and suffer their venom:
"Americans go home." "Ridgway, murderer, go home . . . ."
I admit that this looks rather unpleasant to our allies, but they should not believe that all French people are against them. It means simply that in our country the Communists still have a right to say what they think, however shocking that may seem to an American.
The rest of the people certainly have a more or less marked preference for the United States, which is supposed to represent freedom and political liberalism, ideals that we cherish above all.
But some "neutralists" point out that we could not by any means survive a third world war, even if we were liberated once again, and they disapprove the heavy burden of rearmament, and the American political control involved by the prosecution of an anti-Russian policy.
This attitude fits particularly well that innate skepticism of the French, and tends to prevent them from being wholeheartedly on either side. They cannot help analyzing facts with a most critical eye before reaching conclusions, and they are not so dominated by the emotional feelings, that cause the Americans to see in only one direction.
Many people in France have been disquited already by the advent to power in America of proponents of the strategy of "liberation," so great is their fear of aggressiveness.
Whether the neutralists' position will be strengthened depends very much on the Americans themselves. For my part I hope that we shall be able to retain our sympathy for the people whom we helped in their struggle for Freedom, and who helped us twice to regain ours.
"No we do not hate the Americans, as long as they do not betray the trust or the hope we place in them."
So in answer to question, I would say;
"To professor Snart: for four years of kindness, thoughtfulness fairness, consideration—The senior class."
Little Man on Campus
An Alaskan recently asked a court to change his name to Santa Claus. Reasons: "Business and pecuniary."
The advance guard of one class which persuaded its instructor to hold the session in the Hawk's Nest primed the jukebox for all the loudest songs. Class discussion was abandoned.
- * *
Erosion is quite bad on the slopes near the Union and Green hall. Obviously the building and grounds department hasn't heard about scientific farming.
YEAP...HE SAID ALL THE FLAMMINGOS WERE HEADIN' FOR THE DERBY...TOLD ME I HAD TO WORK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS...ME,AS CAN'T OUT. RUN A PATOTO BUG...MA! I'M A FULL BLOODED AMERICAN RODENT BY TRADUE AN 'POULD OF IT.
The new All Student Council will be the first to take office under the new bicameral governing plan.
Responsibility of transforming the new Council from a group of words to action valuable to the student body, however, does not lie with council members alone.
No one can expect miracles from the new student governing organ. They can, however, expect its cooperation.
There is a tendency after a new administration goes into office for students to sit back and adopt the attitude that the rest is up to the governing body alone. The reason why universities in many countries tend to students as well. No leadership can succeed without support of the people.
The new bi-camelar council deserves a try. We can help make it a success by becoming aware of what our student government is doing and by expressing facts necessary to form a helpful judgment.
There doubtless will be countless differences of opinion in both branches of the bi-cameral Council. But these cleavages can be short-lived if public opinion is expressed to the council.
Students are sick and tired of hearing about political squabbles, about dirty elections, and libel charges. They want action.
Shirley Piatt
Promotion of harmony may be a difficult job, however, for new members of a council who have long forgotten the meaning of the term. Only sufficient student interest will revive it.
A student body, through constructive criticism, can affirm or repudiate an administration. They are, therefore, the most vital influence in the operation of day-to-day government.
The "new responsibility" extends to us all
An era of good feeling is needed in campus politics.
Letters Reader Complains Of Typing Restriction
Editor of the Daily Kansan:
You are the first editor I have ever heard of to announce his intention of refusing to print letters to the editor for the sole reason of their being handwritten. Thereby you inhibit the spontaneous writing of spontaneous letters from those who decline to adapt themselves to the current journalistic craze for typewriters, and who neither use nor possess these infernal machines.
You also cut yourself off from a source of good letters whose printing is of more benefit to you, as editor, to your calligraphic correspondent.
While no one expects you to publish letters that you cannot read, not all handwritten correspondence is illegible, and a great many newspapers make the effort. Why should not you?
Geoffrey Weston exchange student
Editor's Note: Weston's letter Incidentally written by hand) is being published, as will any letter in good taste written by the same means. However, the reader may very difficult to read (as was Weston's) causes misconceptions and inaccuracies.
the "current journalistic craze" is real, students, we should acquaint ourselves new" developments unless we find ours—instead—reverting to the stavistic.
Double-spaced typewritten letters will be preferred. However, letters written in any style have been, and will continue to be published.
Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence). Published in Lawrence, Kan., afternoon during the University year, holidays and Sundays. University holiday exemption periods. Entered second class. Sept 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., Post Office under act of March 3, 1987.