光 Page 2 University Daily Kansan Thursday, March 20, 1952 Editorials India Experimenting With Democratic Ideas A new government will be installed in India early in April. This action will be both the end and the beginning of one of the biggest experiments in the history of democracy. Experts have estimated that nearly 90 million out of the 176 million eligible voters in India have exercised their newly acquired franchise. More than half of these are women. Under the Constitution of the Republic of India, every man and woman above the age of 21 and of sound mind has the right to vote, and property or educational qualifications are not required. The constitution specifically provides that no person shall be deemed ineligible to vote "on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or any of them." It is the government of this huge electorate that the world will be watching as an important proving ground for democratic principles. The Indian Union is made up of 28 federated states. The current elections were held to fill 3,283 seats in the legislative assemblies of 22 states and 489 seats in the lower house of the Federal parliament. Also, seven members of Parliament, six representing the state of Kashmir, and one, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, will be nominated by the president, bringing the total to 496 members. The term of representatives in Parliament is five years. The results of the Indian election and the orderly way in which they have been conducted have won admiration from many quarters. Before the election, skeptics all over the world wondered if the illiterate masses in India were politically wise enough to know a friend from a cheat and an honest man from a charlatan. In a comment on the elections the London News Chronicle stated that the Indian people had shown that "democracy is not a dark mystery of which the western countries alone have the secret." secret. The doubts regarding the success of the experiment in Asia may be realized from the magnitude of the mere physical operations involved. More than two million ballot boxes, 600 million ballot papers and 224,000 polling booths were used in registering the votes of 90 million people in a four-month election beginning in October and extending through February. The difficult program of helping the millions who could not read and write to cast their votes and yet maintain the secret ballot was solved by the allotment of symbols to candidates. A candidate's symbol was painted on his ballot box, then the box was put behind a curtain. The voter dropped his ballot paper in the box of his choice by recognizing the symbol on it. India has solved to her satisfaction the problem of extending suffrage to millions. The effectiveness of the government of this eastern democracy will have far-reaching consequences and its progress may be an inspiration to the Far East and all democracy-loving people throughout the world. —Katrina Swartz. News Room Student Newspaper of the Ad Room KU 251 UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS KU 376 Member of the Kansas Press Assn., National Editorial Assn., Inland Daily Press Assn., Associated Press, and the New York Times; by the National Advertising Service, 420 Moda Avenue, New York City. 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Published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except saturdays and Sundays, University holidays and examination periods. Entered as second mass month Sept. 17, 1910, at Lawrence, Kan., Post Office under act of March 3, 1879. From the Wartburg Trumpet, Wartburg College, Iowa. Comments . . . CUTS: ARE THEY JUSTIFIED? "... This rule of compulsory class attendance has been attacked in schools all over the country, but in most cases it remains adamant and immutable. But here at Wartburg the trend seems to be in an entirely opposite direction. Recently we were presented with a new set of rules governing class attendance. "One of the clauses states that a student who misses a class without feasible excuse must pay $2 to the treasurer before the work can be made up. Another clause states that the credit a student receives for a course shall be reduced by one hour for each overcut, until he reaches zero credits . . ." The first clause fringes on the ridiculous . . . We pay a tidy sum to attend class, but if we fail to attend that class we must pay even more. "The second clause . . . seems to lay all the stress on the student's bodily appearance in the classroom. And, as some of us probably realize, bodily presence can be very different from spiritual presence. "All this boils down to a primary question which is troubling most colleges today. That is, how much individual responsibility can be laid on the student during his quest for education? It appears as though, here at Wartburg, we are not considered mature enough . . ." HERE'S HOW THEY'D HANDLE No doubt the problem of cheating is just as tough on the teachers as it is on the student. For the college student who is training to be a teacher the problem is all the more irksome. The Leader, student newspaper at New York State Teachers college, asked a few students this question, "How will you as future teachers cope with the problem of cheating in exams?" Here are some of the replies: "Use of the honor system. If a student feels that a teacher trusts him completely, he won't cheat on exams." "... I believe in the close scrutinization of the persons taking an exam. If one should be caught cheating I would take his paper, call him in later and talk it over, and try to straighten out his problem." "The child should never be ostracized in front of his classmates. If the teacher has given a complete course the student should not cheat." "Ask fair questions on exams. Exams should not be the only criteria for marks . . ." HONOR AT PARK ... A survey taken at Park College, Mo., shows that most students there wish to keep the honor system. Only two voted for its complete abolition. Sign seen on a lot on the Syracuse University campus: "Don't park your cares on the sidewalk." "But professor, wouldn't it be worth an 'A' just to see my face light up?" Letters: This Reader Says 'Down With Pogo' Dear Editor: Pogo contributes nothing to the journalistic qualities of the Daily Kansan. I can understand the possibility that this cartoon (please excuse the expression) might appeal to children on the elementary level, but it certainly does not offer any amusement to a college student. I have been able to think of only one advantage for Pogo. It consumes space. I agree with Name Withheld By Request. Down with Pogo. Willis Mercer Education senior More Argument On Reorganization Dear Editor: I should like to express my agreement with the objections which Joe Taylor raised to the proposed reorganization amendment in his editorial of March 17. I might also add a few more. Rather than doing away with the possibility of highly organized minority control, the new plan would make matters worse. In effect such a minority—Pachacamac or any other—could exercise its potential in every district since each individual could vote in all districts. Nor would the Council reflect voter sentiment anywhere near proportionately. It is conceivable that a bare majority, voting alike according to instructions, could control almost the entire Council. Such ma chinations have in the past been confined to the district level, limited by the number of votes which a machine can control in each district. But under the new plan, controlled votes could be combined on the University level. Another factor which could be considered by anyone who plans to use residence as a basis for representation is the question of where the freshman girls will run and vote. Since they must leave the freshman dorms when they become sophomores, they will all be in different districts next year—and it is doubtful that many of them are sure which district. If we aren't careful, we may disfranchise all freshman girls! However, as a member of FACTS political party, I am disappointed that Pachacamac felt it necessary to take a stand. From the very first, reorganization has had bi-partisan support and bi-partisan opposition. In spite of the fact that I agree with their stand, it seems a shame that they have now made a political issue out of it! Will Adams Graduate student Rock Chalk Revue Was Newsworthy Dear Editor: The Kansan of March 17 gives the Rock Chalk Revue story about eight column inches and a picture. The work and publicity for the Revue, much of it by the individual houses with assists by the UDK on publicity, was tremendous. Attendance figures compare favorably with almost any University function except the K-State game. The Revue was, and is, newsworthy. Lab theater plays have earned almost a column for an evening's performance. UDK gives generous spreads to recitals, concerts, lectures—all important mind you—but fails to maintain any consistent policy. The Rock Chalk Revue goes into the morgue with a clipping which does not even include the complete list of houses participating in the show Such apparent journalistic slights are few, perhaps, but when they do occur they are observed and people are disappointed. Robert Loaderholm College junior