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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1950
The Editorial Page-
Who Gets The Guns?
Since the days of the Berlin blockade the U.S. has feared a Russian invasion of Western Germany. Such a threat seems vague and distant before Communist forces crossed the South Korean boundary, but since June, the threat has become more and more grimly real. Although recent Communist attempts to insight pro-red rioting in Europe were total flops, and the Korean picture does not brighten aspects for Communism, many believe that Western Germany is the real danger point of "near-future fighting" if there is to be any.
Now that the Korean war seems to be drawing to a close, we can only watch the international scene and hope that war will not spread. But during this waiting period we must decide whether or not we should re-arm Western Germany.
A quick look at the situation tells us that we have nothing but men and supplies to lose by re-arming Western Germany. If Germany is armed and the Russians do not invade, so much the better, it seems. If they do attempt an invasion, we will be ready for them. This is all apparent at a first glance, but closer consideration is likely to change one's opinion.
Upon giving the situation a second thought, we find advantages of rearmament seem few, and the possible repercussions of such a step become complex and threatening.
It has been estimated that the Russian ground forces available for that area outnumber us 40 to 1. It would seem wiser for the Russians to have started the invasion before the U.S. had the benefit of the defense program that has been underway since the Korean war started. It is believed, however, that Russia's fear of our air force is one factor that has held off an invasion. But to maintain or even strengthen our present air force potentialities in Germany certainly would not call for a full armament program. In view of these aspects of the situation, it would seem that enlarging our ground forces would be almost futile, and maintaining a high concentration of air strength in Western Germany is perhaps the best solution for the problem.
Among the disadvantages of a rearmament program are the international consequences that such a move might have. Rearmring Germany would not promote good will toward the U.S. in countries like France, Belgium, and the Netherlands; France has already come out in bitter opposition to the plan. All these countries realize their own weakened conditions economically and militaristically. The memories of an armed Germany arouse a feeling of uneasiness about German military superiority. It is only natural that these countries would also feel somewhat overlooked if we arm Western Germany. To them, we would be rearming a former enemy while our old allies are left open to Russian attack.
The next few weeks will doubtless hold the answer to the German rearmament program. We can only hope that the decision of our leaders will not be the powder-keg to blow up a full scale World War III. —Bill Graves.
Kansan Comments
Perhaps a K.U. graduate is working as a linotype operator on the Tacoma News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.). An edition dated Sept. 30 published a half column of last week's football scores. One line read, "Kansas 464, Denver 6." Fred Ellsworth, alumni secretary, received a letter from Dan Dooley, '36, a Tacoma resident who requested the details of such a phenomenal game.
When, prior to the Chemistry club meeting Thursday, several students busied themselves with an imposing array of Bunson burners, metal stands, wire screens, and a pot of some mysterious liquid, a foreigner from the "shack" thought a complicated demonstration was scheduled. Some strange brown granules were measured into a piece of cheesecloth with meticulous care. As a final gesture the amateur chemists tossed the cloth into the hot liquid in the metal container. At last, when the meeting was over, someone fished out the cheesecloth bag and poured each club member a cup of coffee.
The campus "food man" seems to be the only male who rates entrance into women's dormitories and sorority houses after the young ladies have donned their bedtime attire . . . guess it's just another nightshirt parade.
An insurance salesman questioning a newcomer to the University's teaching staff, asked if the gentleman ever found himself short of breath. Upon receiving a negative reply, the salesman growled, "You walk up 14th street, don't you?"
During her "World in Crisis" appearance Tuesday, Miss Doris Fleeson wore a gardenia and carried a corsage of two more. The beautiful bouquet had been sent by the University chapter of Theta Sigma Phi, honorary and professional fraternity for women in journalism. When she opened the large florist's box, Miss Fleeson exclaimed, "My, they're beautiful! But I haven't the D.A.R. bosom it takes to wear all three!"
Going To Think Before Entering?
Co-ed Sleeps In Rotterdam Jail
By MARVIN ARTH
A Rotterdam jail was where Nancee Bell, education senior, spent her last night in Europe this summer.
Nancee and one of her student companions, Helen Hayes of Northwestern university, had a great desire to see what being behind "Dutch" bars was like.
The two girls loitered on a Rotterdam street one evening, and when a policeman asked what they were doing on the street at such an hour, they told him they had no money. (They had been told that this was the procedure to follow if one wished to "visit" a jail.) The obliging policeman took them to jail, and there they spent the night.
The next morning a stocky matron asked if the pair wanted any breakfast.
"We wanted to find out just what they would feed us so we told her, yes," Nancee said. They got bread and water—both somewhat stale.
ian senate, and the president of the
Nancece started her trip from Quebec with 1,350 students from colleges and universities in the United States. Her ship, the S. S. Volandam (Netherlands) sailed June 26 for Rotterdam.
The ship had a newspaper named the "Dam Daily," published every morning and afternoon. Students would rush for the morning edition to read of the various escapades that had taken place the night before.
Nancee flew to London where she stayed in the International hotel on Gloucester Road place. There were six other Americans at the international, all from eastern schools. In the two weeks before she had a report to the University of Zurich Nancy Hanley Oxford university, Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford-on-Avon, Windsor castle, Earwick castle, and the lake country as well as many locales in and around London.
On her arrival at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, where she lived with a Swiss family, Nance enrolled for a five-week term. Outstanding among the courses she took was Europe and the Quest for France, the president of the magistrate of France, the president of Italian senate, and the president of
Upon arrival in Rotterdam, the students dispersed to all parts of Europe. The trip was not of the exchange student or scholarship type, but was composed of students who had made arrangements to study in various European universities.
NANCEE BELL
Council of Europe lectured during the course. The Council of Europe is an assembly composed of delegates from various European countries with the purpose of unification.
In Switzerland, Nancee toured various sections of the country. She said the Swiss are much like Americans—at least, more so than the people of other European countries.
"The Swiss are very proud of their neutrality, their democracy, their cheese, their watches, and their cuckoo clocks." Nancee said.
Prior to going to the University of Zurich, Nancee visited Paris, and its surrounding vicinity.
"Paris was just like I had always pictured it—wine, women, song, and all the trimmings," she said.
Nancee stayed in the Sorbonne and visited everything from the world famous Latin quarter to the University of Paris.
"Be-bop was the sensation on Paris—all the Parisiennes wanted
be-bop, and it was everywhere! Orson Welles was playing in "Mac-Beth" in Paris. Nancee believes Welles was by far the most popular American in Europe outside of General Marshall.
At the end of her term at Zurich, Nancee attended a three-day music festival in Salzburg. She commented on the extremely poor conditions of trains in Europe. They have wooden benches for seats, and none of the cars look durable.
After Salzburg, came the city which Nancy thought was the most beautiful in Europe—Vienna. There she visited the giant ferris wheel which appeared in the movie, "The Third Man." This was in the Russian zone, but she had no trouble entering or leaving.
"Europeans can always spot an American regardless of his clothes and before he talks, .by his shoes, American shoes are of a superior quality of leather and invariably not as battered and worn as the shoes of the European. A paradoxical thing was that the only place in Europe where people would stop and stare at us was in Switzerland, which comes closer than any other European country to being like the United States, and it is a tourist country as well." Nancee said.
Four days in Vienna and Nancee was on her way to Munich, Frankfort, Heidelberg, Cologne, and Hitler's fabulous home—Berchtesgaden. France shows little of the aftermath of war, but Germany is a completely devastated country. Nancee said that little reconstruction had been done. Even so, in her opinion, the Germans are the friendliest people in Europe.
"It (the ferris wheel) is a lot bigger even than it looked in the movie," Nancee said, and when asked if she rode on it she replied, "Certainly!"
After Germany, Nancee visited the Hague and lived with a Dutch family. An Amsterdam brewery she toured had the same delightful attribute that American breweries have—letting tourists drink all the beer they can hold.
After Rotterdam and the jail incident, came the voyage home, which was not without adventure. The ship went through two hurricanes—one of which left several bruises on Nancee.
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