PAGE SIX
yoy
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1950
Thought For The Day --lead a search for Miss Kerr's husband, who had endeavored to find the legendary diamond mines in the heart of the Dark Continent and has been missing for over a
The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer.
Samuel XXII,2
Miss Ruth Brown of Bartlesville, Okla., is described as a cultured, white-haired woman with a keen interest in community affairs. For 30 years she presided over the public library in her city of 19,000, and one can imagine her as almost the prototype of hundreds of women in similar positions throughout the country.
Miss Brown Of Bartlesville
But the normally quiet life of a librarian has not been Miss Smith's in recent months. She has been fired and pushed into the center of a bitter community fight that has its roots in a form of hysteria that is not confined to Bartlesville.
Miss Brown was accused of permitting "subversive" literature to be displayed in the library. This literature included the library's regular subscription copies of The Nation and The New Republic and one or two of the many books by Americans who have attempted to explain Soviet Russia. Miss Brown also had participated as a citizen in group discussions of inter-racial problems.
When asked to justify her conduct, Miss Brown defended it on principle. When she didn't run from her accusers, they initiated proceedings to bring the library directly under control of the city commission. Through the commission, finally, Miss Brown was dismissed. Now, with the backing of Bartlesville friends, she is demanding reinstatement in legal action that has gone to the state supreme court.
The case illustrates that reason and fairness can desert supposedly enlightened citizens these days in their groping for ways to combat the threat of world-wide communism. A woman who gave the best years of her life to community service has been exiled because she did what any competent librarian would consider her duty. The right to read The Nation and other publications dealing with controversial issues is the right of any American. And the right to make such literature available should be the right—and duty—of any public librarian. Certainly Miss Brown was entitled as a private citizen to take an interest in the Negro minority of her city.—St. Louis Star-Times.
The Public's Pulse
No Comment
I just finished reading the Tuesday edition of the Kansan and would like to comment on one of the articles. I refer to the one concerning a petition a certain group of students and faculty members sent to President Truman requesting him to withhold the A-bomb. To satisfy my own curiosity, I would like to know how many of this group have participated in a war and how many know only what they read in the papers or hear on the radio.
I don't lay claim to being a "herd" and I don't believe in unnecessary "mass murder" any more than any other human being. But I have a uniform hanging in my closet with what I consider an adequate share of ribbons and stars on it to remind me what those boys over there are going through. If we have any type of weapon whether it be ship, plane, gun, or bomb, that will help bring this war to a rapid conclusion, I definitely say, "use it!" They are not showing our boys any mercy over there, why should we practice it!
After all, we used it once quite successfully, why hesitate now! If it was dangerous to the Universe as some people think, the government certainly wouldn't be building up a stockpile of them.
I could go on indefinitely giving reasons in support of its use, but think I'd better stop before I hurt someone's feelings or start giving my personal feelings toward Communism and the entire state of the world at present. I'm almost ashamed to be a member of this present generation. We should add quite a chapter to history books.
J. F. Dryden College freshman
His Opinion
Dear Sirs:
It is my opinion that the various lecturers in "World in Crisis" series have been, for the most part, speakers of a high caliber. On a few occasions the speaker has wandered away from his subject, possibly because of an ignorance of his assigned topic, but even then the lecture has been of some value to the students.
I also believe that the high level of the group of speakers has now been surreptitiously invaded by one Mr. T. V. Smith, "author, lecturer, and professor . . . at Syracuse University." His recent harangue on the supposed subject of "The Democratic Way of Life and What it Offers" seemed to be of very little value to anyone, with the possible exception of Mr. Smith, whom he quoted as an expert on several occasions. He managed to evade issues and contradict himself on more than one occasion. The open discussion period which followed was continually plagued with evasions by the speaker. He did not, to my knowledge, answer a single question directed to him.
To this point I have attended all the lectures and I feel that Mr. Smith's has been the most worthless, without qualification. I hope that in the five remaining periods we can return to the standard formerly enjoyed. As one person remarked after the lecture, "As a lecturer he'd make a darned good Hadacol salesman."
O. K. Johnson, Jr College Junior
At the Flicks By Bill Stratton
Rattlesnakes are the "gentlemen" of the reptile tribe, according to Arizona sheep herders who frequently encounter them on mountain trails. They strike only with some provocation and always give fair warning.
"King Solomon's Mines"
Granada Theater
One couldn't ask for a faster moving or more realistic outdoor drama than "King Solomon's Mines." Produced entirely on location in Africa, this technicolored version of an old adventure classie by H. Rider Haggard lets few viewers get restless.
Wealthy Deborah Kerr and her brother, Richard Carlson, hire professional hunter Stewart Granger to
year. The three, with a retinue of native bearers, follow a crude map into an uncharted area of Africa and meet more than their share of trouble.
When hard-featured Granger isn't directing tactics to elude wild animals and savages, he is resenting Miss Kerr's presence on the safari. However, Miss Kerr loses interest in her missing spouse and, with the aid of propinquity, wins the quiet love of Mr. Granger.
Everything is done well enough, particularly the photography. When it comes to animals, this thing outclasses the St. Louis zoo.
"Breakthrough" Jayhawker Theater
The usual stock of old newsreels and worn out sentimentalism comprise this unusually noisy piece about the invasion of Europe.
The story is about a group of infantrymen who are a part of the first wave to assault Omaha beach
on D - Day. Their company commander is rugged but sentimental David Brian who disparages, his subordinates, particularly platoon leader John Agar. Mr. Agar returns
the treatment with insolent and righteous outbursts. Their petty differences take a back seat to the war and are ironed out perfunctorily when they begin fighting the "battle of the hedgerows."
Besides the dramatics, one conspicuous frailty is the inept handling of fatalities. As is the custom, the dialogue concentrates on approaching death. But when the smoke has cleared from the Warner Brothers set and the director has exhausted his supply of newsreels, most of the same characters are still around. This gives the impression that Omaha Beach was nothing but a matter of a few well-placed hand grenades.
Here is one of those Hollywood atrocities that offers nothing but nausea.
"Peggy"
Ratce Theater
You've seen the story probably a dozen times in similar films, usually
with more foundation than this. College girl is secretly married. She is afraid to tell her narrow-minded father.
A new and hopeless twist is thrown in here—
the girl has a beautiful sister and they both reach the finals of the Rose Bowl queen contest. The married girl is nearly exposed. Her sister covers up for her. Things get complicated but end happily.
Beginning Or End?
The histrionics are exasperating, and the plot staggers to its knees on several occasions. Supposedly a comedy, "Peggy" drew a smile from me only once—when it said "The End."
Illustrations by Paul Coker.
Dear Editor:
After scanning the denunciation of "Armchair Killers", I find that the meaning rings hollow when thinking of previous acts of aggression. We it not for the monstrous power of our atomic bomb, you and I might be lying on some silent shore of Japan. Common knowledge tells us that countless American lives were saved by its premature use. True, civilians died with and would die with its use. But these same civilians marked and are marking their lives by supporting vicious attacks on a world groping for peace. Totalitarian states have wrecked havoc on thousands of square miles of the earth in quest of world domination. Now at last a democratic government has in its power a force capable of halting those machines which roll over and exploit weak nations. If and when American leaders meet to decide on atomic action, those leaders will have justification.
Dwight W. Boring
Dwight W. Boring Editor's note: There may have been some justification for use of the A-bomb to end World War II, but we fail to see any justification for its use to begin World War III.
Editor's Note: All letters to the Editor should be less than 200 words and signed with the writer's full name, address, and classification. No name will be withheld unless the editor feels that the circumstances warrant such action. All letters sent to the editor will be considered released for publication unless otherwise specified in the letter.
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a Spanish exploring party that entered Kansas in 1541 seeking gold. When he returned to Mexico he left Father Juan de Padilla, who founded a mission among the Indians. The Quiviran Indians killed him because he was about to leave them to establish a mission among a rival tribe. He thus became the first Christian martyr to die on U.S. soil.
'The Thing'
In view of the incredible number of serious-minded students attending K.U. I feel it my prime duty to save them from driving themselves to insanity by informing you that "The Thing" is the '36 Chevy, painted Purple (?) which belongs to my nephew Chuck Childers, Ed. Jr. I also feel it would be a safety move to inform you that it is the one which formerly had red fenders.
Informationally Yours,
James L. Childers, Ed. Jr.
The two tallest mountain works in Tennessee and North Carolina, Mt. Mitchell and Clingman, were discovered by a Yankee Minister's son and a Confederate general, respectively.
TRIKES!
$398 and up
ALL COLORS
ALL SIZES
at
STERLING FURNITURE
928 Mass.
---
FOR THE KIDS!