Page 2 University Daily Kansan Wednesday, February 6, 1957
Daily Kansan Editorials
Stories Lose Freedom For Daily Californian
Last week the board of regents of the University of California directed that an advisory board be set up to supervise editorial policies of the Daily Californian, student newspaper at the school. Thus, the 40-year editorial independence of the paper was ended.
The regents' move resulted from a general tendency to give "a disproportionate amount of space to some minority groups," and from two articles in particular which were called pro-Russian. Both articles presented the views of students who visited Russia last summer, and pictured life behind the Iron Curtain in a favorable light.
No one accused the Californian or anyone on its staff of pro-Communist leanings. Instead, the paper's policies were attributed to the "traditional excesses in student journalism."
Despite these "excesses" the school administration in the past had refused to tread on the paper's freedom. This brings up the question of just how far a newspaper may go before it begins to abuse its freedom.
Sometimes it is difficult to determine whether a paper has abused its freedom sufficiently to warrant control or has been an innocent victim of those who would suppress legitimate news and comment.
It is always sad to see a newspaper—student or otherwise—subjected to supervision by an outside agency. It not only establishes a dangerous precedent but in some cases is a reflection on the judgment of the persons responsible for the production of the paper.
Some editors would defend the right of a paper to say whatever it pleases, no matter how much bad taste and irresponsibility it displays. Fortunately, most newsmen aren't in this category. Most will defend press freedom vigorously, but they also will recognize the responsibility of their position and meet that responsibility without sacrificing any of their freedom.
Every campus has various groups all hell-bent on rearranging the world in general—and the United States in particular—according to some pet theory of government. It is here that campus "liberals" cease to be liberal anymore. They get so immersed in their particular panacea that they will brook no interference, or even argument, from anyone who feels differently. It is in such situations that college newspapers very often start defying all the rules of good taste and reason.
True, there are excesses. Some student journalists seem to delight in treading the thin line between good and bad taste, and defy anyone to do anything about it. This practice probably is a product of the tendency of youth to go to extremes in whatever direction it happens to be headed at a given moment.
Certainly we are not in a position to pass judgment on the Daily Californian. But in California, where legislative committees virtually scour the countryside looking for evidences of Communism, it would seem that the Daily Californian was indulging in a bit of such defiance. —J.W.Z.
Titles are being accepted for next year's film series, Raymond Nichols, chairman of the film committee, said today.
Suggestions should be in before Sunday, Feb. 10. They may be given to Mr. Nichols or Donald Stewart, College senior, and Van Rothrock, business junior, student representatives on the committee.
Suggestions Open Lawrence Couple For Film Titles Give Painting
A 17th century Dutch painting, "The Ray," by van Byren has been presented to the Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Hurwitz of Lawrence.
Mr. Nichols said that in spite of the impossibility of obtaining some of the releases suggested by students, the committee would do all in its power to get the films the students want.
John Maxon, director of the museum, said that van Byren is ranked the foremost painter of fish pictures in the history of Dutch art.
Why are people trying to take the guts out of intercollegiate sports?
You just couldn't wait to jump on the bandwagon, could you? Everybody today is trying to take sport out of sports! What's wrong with Gardner and Allen drumming up a little pre-game interest? It's in the best tradition of sports. Every day some committee or another meets to discuss why there isn't any school spirit on this campus. I'll tell them why: it's because the things which used to foster school spirit—the feuds, fights, statue paintings, et al—have gotten "civilized" right out of sports. Today we clap almost harder when the members of the opposing basketball team are introduced than we do for our own boys!
The picture, which comes from an English collection, is rated by Professor Maxon as being of "very fine quality." "We are much indebted to Mr. and Mrs. Hurwitz for their fine gift," he said.
Dear Sir:
The last few Kansans have carried tea-and-toast editorials by the editor-in-chief, Jack Zimmerman, and his associate, Joe Taylor, in which Gardner and Allen were put way down for their argument and Moon Mullins exalted for eating humble bread in the recruiting scandal.
Everybody today is screaming that college sports are getting too professional. If they are, it is because people like you and your assistant are taking the guts out of the traditional rivalries by sitting on anyone who shows a little spirit (like Gardner and Allen). I say, more power to them, worthy representatives of the days when college sports were more than tea parties with professional entertainers giving the guests a little show! And less power to you, pale-faced advocates of a dry, spiritless world!
Reader Prefers Sports With 'Guts'
University Daily Kansan
Student Newspaper of the Ad Room UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS KU 376
Member of the Kansas Press Assn, National Editorial Assn., Inland Daily Press Assn,
Associated with The New York Times, is a member of the National Advertising Service 420 Madison Avenue, New York City.
Letters:
EDITORIAL STAFF
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-In-Chief ... Jack Zimmerman
Editorial Assistants ... Anne Snyder, Joe Taylor
Edwards Assistants ... James Snider, Joe Tayler
NEWS STAFF
Managing Editor ... Ellsworth Zahm
Assistant Managing Editors ... Helen Lou Fry, Ben Holman,
Joe Lostelie, Jim Pawers
City Editor ... Jeanne Lambert
Assistant City Editors ... Jeanne Fitzgerald, Phi Nedman,
Jerry Renner, Katrina Swetz
Telegraph Editor ... Charles Burch
Assistant Telegraph Editor ... Max Thompson
Society Editor ... Dianne Stonebraker
Assistant Society Editors ... Lorena Barlow, Pauline Patterson
Sports Editor ... Jocke Jones
News Adviser ... Victor J. Danilov
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager ... Dorothy Hedrick
Advertising Manager ... Emory Williams
National Advertising Manager ... Virginia Johnston
Circulation Manager ... Ted Barbara
Classified Advertising Manager ... Elaine Mitchell
Promotion Manager ... Phil Wilcox
Business Adviser ... R. W. Doores
Mail subscription rates: $3 a semester or $4.50 a year (add $1 a semester if in Lawrence), published in Lawrence, Kan., every afternoon during the University year except Saturdays and Sundays, University holidays and examination periods. Entered as second class matter Sept. 17, 1910 at Lawrence, Kan., Post Office under act of March 3, 1870
Name Withheld by Request.
Campus police announce that they will tow away illegally parked cars of faculty members. This only goes to show that the faculty has pull in everything around here.
Short Ones
"Hillbilly Clyde Lovellette, the biggest man in radio," has begun his own regular series and as yet we've not heard anyone suggest that the station cut operational expenses by using him for its tower.
Time' Not First To Write About Younger Generation
Our favorite coed, Iva Latepaper, says she would like to see the light opera performance here on campus this week but doesn't think she can stand the blood shed. After all, "The Battered Bride" is a pretty grusome title.
No wonder men don't go into the teaching field these days. A news release on mid-year job prospects tells of "men starting at $300 a year and women at $2,500."
A news story begins with the words "Informed quarters said ." which only goes to prove that money talks.
"Tell her I'm tall, dark, and in the upper third of my class."
L. E. Woolley resigns as manager of the Student Union book store and no longer can students complain about having the "Woolley pulled over their eyes."
All older generations have one tradition in common: their habit of talking about younger generations. Time magazine recently carried on the tradition.
Recent statement heard from the senior class president: "I think I'll go out tonight and raise a little Hull."
Time asked the question. "Is is possible to paint a portrait of an entire generation?" What followed were four pages about "The Younger Generation"—a portrait in brilliant color.
Below are six Time quotations plus an equal number of quotions about other younger generations of the '20's and '30's. The result is that Time's colors become slightly blurred.
Time: Today's generation, either through fear, passivity or conviction, is ready to conform.
Maxine Davis in "The Lost Generation," 1936: This lack of revolt is more ominous than active radicalism.
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American Mercury, 1931: Most American men, I believe, drink less today than they did 10 years ago and a great deal less than they drank in 1900.
Time: Novelists like Truman Capote, William Styron and Fredrick Beuchner are precocious technicians, but their books have the air of suspecting that life is long on treachery, short on rewards.
Time: The younger generation seems to drink less.
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Saturday Review of Literature, 1935: It can be said without much likelihood of contradiction that the middle generation of American writers have defeatist written on their foreheads.
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Time: Educators across the U.S. compain that young people seem to have no militant beliefs. They do not speak out for anything.
New York Times, 1920: Why are college boys so inert, so seldom rebels or anarchs?
Time: There is no formal religious revival among the young Americans. God . . . is still a vaguely comforting thought, theology a waste of time, and denominations beside the point. To large numbers of them, religion is still merely an ethical code. But God has once more become a factor in the younger generation's thoughts.
Outlook, 1925: That most young people, and especially that growing number of them who are finding their way to and through college, are comparatively indifferent to many of the questions that have divided the churches into camps and factions is apparent. To some this appears a sign of religious indifference. It may be indeed, a sign of indifference, to doctrine and dogma, but it is not a sign of indifference to religion.
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Time: But youth's ambitions have shrunk. Few youngsters today want to mine diamonds in South Africa, ranch in Paragguay.
Literary Digest, 1936: Ambitions have been humbled; enterprise has been chilled.
News From Other Campuses
Chimes For Fourth Child
Students strolling around campus of Washington U., were stopped in their tracks recently by the chimes, which were giving out with, "I Want a Girl. Just. . Rock-a-Bye Baby." The chimer was heralding the birth of his fourth child.
Schools Admit 16½ Year-Olds
In an experiment aimed at providing two years of liberal education in college prior to national military service, the universities of Chicago, Columbia, Wisconsin, and Yale this autumn admitted 50 male students who were under the age of 163