PAGE TEN
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1950
The Editorial Page Butter Or Guns
For the third time in 36 years the people of Western Europe are facing a now-familiar situation: butter or guns.
Since the end of World War II these countries have struggled hard to regain some semblance of their pre-war living standards. Their effort seems successful, for rationing is off of some commodities and slackening on others. Food and clothing are becoming plentiful and industries, re-established under American aid, are turning out drastically needed industrial goods.
The Atlantic Pact, entered into by the nations of Western Europe, calls for armed strength to stand against Russian communism. To gain this strength, the industries must again resume their familiar role of makers of guns. This means a return of rationing, of strict economic controls, and of governmental supervision. Many Western Europeans, the press reports, do not want to see this come.
But the specter of war has returned. Western Europe, just regaining its feet, is faced with this problem: either divert consumer production into war production and lose the standard of living so hard fought for, or keep industry turning out consumer goods and lose national security. For the third time since 1914 the decision, is again: butter or guns.
The fact that Western Europe is braced on the east by a horde of Russian troops, ready to knife into Europe on a moment's notice, makes the communists' arguments more feasible. Why, ask Europeans, should we re-arm when it would only lower our living standards and the armed might we would accumulate in the next few years would be insufficient against Russia's?
Here the communists renew their crusade. Disregarding the Russian gangsterism which characterizes their party, they speak of peace. They say that the communists want peace. The communists, they propagandize, will keep the industries turning out consumer goods—not war goods.
Western Europe, under this argument, seems to hang on the theory that diverting to war production is useless, so why not have the good things of life and hope for the best.
This is the opinion being fought by the United States through its Marshall plan and aid-backed Atlantic Pact. Lovers of freedom in Western Europe are refuting the communists' argument—but to do it they must again rigidly control their countrymen.
This is why the urge to re-arm in Europe is so slow coming. America cannot send enough arms to Europe to fully re-arm it —Europe must contribute some of its own power for the job. And the slowness of Europe to accept this is alarming the United States while Russia accepts it joyfully.
It would seem that the influence of the Marshall plan works perfectly except in switching a nation to a war basis. Of course, this is not the intent of the Marshall plan, but it does appear that American aid is getting no return for its building up of Europe.
The United States does not, as Russia pictures it, want Europe to re-arm to serve merely as a shock force against Russia aggression. We want it because we know that Russia respects strength, and if Western Europe can get enough it will long delay—perhaps stop forever—Russian conquest of Europe.
Butter or guns. If the people of Western Europe want their democracy and the right to be free men, they will again go under rationing and resume a war footing. It could last for a decade, or more, but it would preserve freedom. If not, they can enjoy butter on their bread—as long as Russia allows them that privilege. John Hill.
I am writing this letter to thank you for the great service you do for me and hundreds of my classmates every day by bringing us to the campus. I suppose the bus service is important in any college town, but the geographical situation in Lawrence makes your service a lifesaver.
Rapid Transit
Dear Reginald.
However, I would like to make a suggestion. You see, every morning I ride up the Hill on your bus to my class in Fraser hall. I have to get off the bus in back of the Union or wait until the bus reaches the middle of Strong hall. It isn't that I mind walking these crisp fall mornings, but I can't help thinking about those icy days in the near future when I'll have to back-track a couple of blocks to reach my class.
There are a lot of other students riding the buses each day who are en route to Fraser or Blake halls or to the library, and I think they'd appreciate another bus stop too. Why don't you let us disembark behind Green hall or in front of Bailey chem. lab?
Hopefully. Ped.E. Strian.
Judging from the smoke-filled Green room in Watson library, K.U. is turning out a lot of politicians these days.
When a hesitant answer was given by an economics student in class recitation, John Ise assured the student that his answer was right. "It's that way according to the holy gospel of St. John," he smirked.
Fellows who ridicule co-eeds for their current athletic undertaking (volleyball) should go to Texas university where the women are engaging in touch football contests.
World In Crisis
Ridicule Unfair
Two recent letters in this column have aroused my disgust. One was written by a senior and the other by a graduate student—the only difference being that one writer had the courage to sign his name.
Opinions expressed in both letters seem so near-sighted as to be stupid . . . and from upperclassmen at that.
While both students have a perfect right to express their views, do they not have the intelligence to realize that the men and women giving World In Crisis lectures also have a right to express personal views?
I would suggest that both should become familiar with the Bill of Rights. I would also recommend that they memorize its first article.
I agree with Mr. Pinault that the American way of life should be protected, but not in the manner he advocates. Discussion of problems "pro" and "con" is the right of the American citizen. Perhaps these protesting students cannot bear to hear opinions contrary to their own.
William Stanfill College Sophomore
Football Critics Identity Wanted
For three years I have read letters to the editor and have wondered why the authors of such literary masterpieces have desired to remain unknown.
Having read the tirade against football and all its sins, I am amazed that the four "puzzled" teachers requested that their names be withheld. Surely such genius must not pass unrewarded. Has our school progressed to the place where its exalted professors are fearful of expressing a thought not gleaned from the much-quoted textbooks?
It must make the "puzzled" ones feel terribly inferior to think that one "scholarly" athlete is capable of composing an editorial that requires the combined skill of four teachers to answer. Somewhere along the line, when I was exposed to poetry, I heard a line that goes, "Two minds with but a single thought. . ." Can it be—in the case of our quartet—that four minds had but a single thought? Surely we must do something to help them. Perhaps a dose of reserved seats on the 50-yard line will lessen their malady.
Not having lived half a century ago when a famous sociologist made that earthshaking analization of football, we moderns may be judging the puzzled ones unjustly. If it is unjust, surely we should know to whom we weep an apology.
Edwin F. O'Brien Education Senior
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