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University Daily Kansan Thursday, March 12, 1955
English Debaters Give Fine Show
"I've been at the University six years, and this is the first convocation I've ever attended," one of the KU debaters participating in yesterday's convocation said.
That debater, a student, couldn't have chosen a better convocation for his first appearance.
From their opening remarks, the two debaters from Cambridge, England, accomplished wonders with the audience in overriding the fear that this convocation, as many others, would develop into a rather dull presentation.
The two debaters representing KU also did a masterful job. They, as well as the Britons, recognized that the debate centered around a lofty theoretical topic—one that called for well-documented as well as clever handling in order to retain the interest of a college audience.
Both sides succeeded in imparting a light touch to the discussion. References to Stevenson buttons, the convocation-coffee crowd in the Union at that moment, the typically British weather that KU had been suffering the past two days and the acknowledged Democrat tendencies of the KU political science department helped enliven the debate tonic by localizing it.
And both sides presented KU students with a wealth of food for thought. Certainly, the leftist views expounded by the Britons were not typical of those held by the sterotype Kansas Republican. But this fact is all the more reason why students should be exposed to such opinions.
To all those instrumental in the presentation of yesterday's convocation, we would like to express a hearty thank you for a job well done—and much appreciated. —Bob Stewart
Joan Says Marilyn Pushing Good Thing Little Too Far
Hooray for Joan Crawford. She had the courage to say what many people have been thinking—Marilyn Monroe overplays her sex.
It is obvious that she tries to be sexy in her pictures, such as "Niagara," that Marilyn loses what sex she naturally has. As Miss Crawford said, people don't like to see sex flaunted in their faces.
When "Niagara" was in Lawrence, the students hooted and whistled at first, but after Miss Monroe had strained herself to be sexy, the students were silent except for an occasional hiss.
General opinion after the show was that Jean Peters, who also stars in the production, exuded more sex appeal accidentally than Marilyn Monroe did on purpose.
It was time that someone wised up Miss Monroe and Joan Crawford was an ideal person to do it. Marilyn could learn a lot just by watching Miss Crawford—who happens to be up for her second "Oscar." —Bob Nold
Red 'Salt of the Earth' may be packed in black boxes now in Silver City.
By Jove, if the British aren't going to have to miss their tea to see the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The 7,000 spectators must be seated by 8:30 a.m. and won't get out until 1 p.m.; 11 a.m. is tea time.
POGO
The guilt-by-association hounds recently expanded their witch-hunting efforts into the field of dramatic art, but one man at least is unimpressed and unaffraid. He is Dr. John Newfield, director of the University theater.
By BILL DICKINSON
One Man's Opinion
Apparently unmindful of recent attacks on Charlie Chaplin's screen production, Limelight, by misguided members of the American Legion, the University theater undertook the presentation of J. B. Priestley's socialist-conscious drama "An Inspector Calls."
At one point there was a rumor that a local patriotic group might picket Fraser the theater, but nothing came of it.
In addition to being good suspense material, the play had a rather obvious message. The much benigned and maligned capitalist is again the whipping dog, and as the moral of the play points out, is responsible for the symbolic derailment of workers of the world. The fact that the action is set in 1912 takes away none of the timeliness of the moral.
Alas, J. B. Priestley is but a Fabian-socialist. And while the Russians regard such non-violent political learnings as a professional wrestler might regard lukewarm milk and crackers, Priestley's drama was given a run in emotion-charged Moscow in 1946.
According to reports, the Russian's theater director, Tairov, used a nearly bare stage in order to concentrate symbolic attention on the multiple misseeds of the greedy industrialist and his snobbish family.
There was overwhelming justification for presentation here. Firstly, the decision to produce the play was arrived at before the start of fall semester and the dramatic arts purge. Secondly, "An Inspector Calls" is good art.
But good art was not in question when the American Legion clamped a West Coast censorship on Mr. Chaplain's movie. The much-beloved comic held a questionable status with immigration authorities, and because of political sympathies, there was doubt as to whether he would ever be allowed to re-enter the United States.
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The Legion reasoned that if Mr. Chaplin was un-American, his film product must be also. And as a pressure group they had their way. This same guilt-without-crime at its peak has been attributed lately. Clifford Odets, purgulous playwright of "Waiting for Lefty," has fallen into disrepute.
Will there be any open criticism from those who might conveniently construe the socialistic theme of 'An Inspector Calls' to be reelected in the hypatia of fear stormed into this educational center? We hope not.
A free-thinking University student body and faculty should hail the production as conclusive evidence that the University theater is keeping its values straight. Art is still art regardless of its theme, and as intelligent, free people we can see unfroamed, unprofound, worked-over propaganda. Yet the element of truth should not be denied.
As Dr. Newfield said: "Our only answer to a Sen. McCarthy investigation would be that we had presented two frivolous productions in a row, and it was time we hit on something more substantial—as art."
Since when has the cost of living of the smoking American public failed to include cigarettes? The government recently reported that the cost of living had fallen but that the removal of price ceilings on cigarettes last Wednesday caused a penny rise in the wicked weeds. Doesn't that make you fume?
Liberalism is alive at KU, all the cynics to the contrary.
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The redecorated Union lounge is complete with doves of peace. Maybe the All Student Council should hold its meetings there.
A Californian recently proved that too much of a good thing is too much. Francis H. Van Wie, the bigamist who discarded wives 14 and 16 last week, says he has had enough of married life. It's a crazy life, but it can drive a man crazy!
by Dick Bibler
Little Man on Campus
"Well, I see we have about a minute of class time left- any questions?"
Letters
To the Editor of the Daily Kansan:
As a student I resent "KANU Misses Boat; Students Demand Lab" headline with which your paper started its sun-flower colored editorial of March 4th.
Another Staffer Hits KANU Editorial
You missed the boat, not KANU.
You say that an inexperienced student can have only a routine office job at KANU. There are at least four announcers, students, working on the station who have had no previous experience. They were chosen on the merits of voice, attitude, and ability to adapt themselves to the rigorous routine one has before a mike.
As for routine jobs, every other job at the station is routine. The program schedule must be filled, met and the next day's prepared. It's monotonous, unless you're interested. But for those interested, there are jobs.
The station cannot be blamed for the fact that there are few Speech and Journalism department programs on the air. These departments are now beginning to cooperate. In March two new University programs will be aired.
It has been proven there is no real way to measure public opinion and listening habits. Mr. Browne leans on the only possible means of learning if he is reaching into the homes of state, the opinion poll.
You say professionals are needed . . . then here is your answer. Work out a way for giving credit to those students who work in the campus station . . . and that's what it is! The station has always had difficulty in finding students sufficiently interested in radio to make them show up for work on time. If credit were involved this would be another matter.
The Daily Kansan, so often found to be in error, has once again proved itself to be, rather than the organ of the student body, a hunter for sensation. Truth, dear editor, is often much more sensational than fiction.
May I ask one question? Since when is the reply to an editorial written without the person writing that reply even seeing the editorial? This was the case in your paper March 4th. It seems that you got your story, for Page 3, then pulled it apart on page 2.
You jump to conclusions; get incomplete information; and generally do a poor job of running a student publication. I know now why when a mention is made of the Kansan, students scoff, chuckle, sometimes laugh out loud. The Daily Kansan belongs in a far smaller school than this . . . and
perhaps needs some "professionally qualified personnel."
Such practices as these by students, perhaps "rabble-rouser" in spired, will net no good for the University, nor for the student body. And you want the radio station to be set up along the same lines.
My opinion is based on eight year newspaper experience on five news papers, two of which were college organs.
Davidson G.
College junior
To the Editor of the Daily Kansasan,
In last Wednesday's Daily Kansasan, Miss Betz expounded the theory that the Rosenberg should not be executed for their reason. She gave a reason for this: the rest of the world would not like it. She stated: "Their execution will place them in the category of martyrs to the undemocratic people of the world."
What difference does this make granting that it is true? Certainly the United States should try to stare on a friendly basis with all other countries, but I doubt seriously the they would publicly object to our method of dealing with traitors or realize it's none of their business.
To the Editor of the Daily Kansan
Rosenbergs' Fate Should Be Upheld
None of the allies of the U.S. can afford to quarrel with us, considering the world situation. Since already fighting most of those nations which aren't our allies, I can see why we should worry about who they think of our methods.
Many people would agree with our government, that a traitor should be executed. When I think of all the American -yes, and other nation's men -lives lost because of those two spies . . .
Let's stick with our government decision.
Pat Ensminger College freshm
There are 50,000 passenger coach including 500 restaurant cars at 400 sleepers, on British railway with a seating capacity of ov 3,000,000.
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