PAGE SIX --- UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 1950 The Editorial Page- A Borrowed Trick One of the basic freedoms of a democratic society is the freedom of communication—the right of one individual to tell another his thoughts or pass on information without fear that other individuals may listen uninvited. In other words when an American calls a business associate he need not worry that a slight buzz in the phone means someone is tapping the wire; that when he writes a letter others will read its contents; that a brief from his lawyer will be subject to interception. Congress realized the vital nature of these privileges and passed the communication act which said in part: "no person, not being authorized by the sender, shall intercept any communication and divulge or publish the existence, content, substance, purport, effect or meaning of such intercepted communication to any person." The United States supreme court plugged the one big loophole by ruling the term "no person" includes the government. The highest court in the nation ruled further that evidence obtained by wiretapping or "evidence procured through the use of knowledge gained from such conversations" may not be admitted in federal courts. This law and its interpretations state in no uncertain terms that wiretapping is a violation of federal laws. Yet the F.B.I. used wire-tapping without a second thought, as the pre-trial hearings in the Coplon case disclosed. J. Edgar Hoover's agents recorded conversations between a husband and wife, and a lawyer and his client—communications long considered inviolable by law. We criticize the Soviet Union and the police state tactics employed in that country. There the police operate above and beyond the laws, their operations limited only by the needs of the government—that is, squashing possible opposition. While we do not believe the United States has become a police power, it would be naive to assume that we are not borrowing some dangerous tricks from the police state. And these tricks are being used with vigor by the executive branch of the government while the legislative branch sits by with fearful apprehension or gleeful appreciation. Civil liberties are today in the greatest fight they have ever faced in the U.S. And the fact that those liberties set forth in federal statutes are so easily brushed aside leaves little hope for those others which have evolved with the unbridled operation of democratic society, but were not codified. Who is to protect the individual's rights and liberties ifthose in a position to do so are so fearfully indecisive as to sit and watch them being slowly destroyed? There are still election years. —The Daily Californian. Albert Einstein is an "old faker." That, at least, is the opinion of Rep. John Rankin, Democrat from Mississippi. The 'Old Faker' Several days ago Rankin not only said Einstein was an "old faker", but, furthermore, that Einstein was engaged in Communist front activities and that he should have been deported long ago. Rankin, for 39 years a congressman, was also loud and disparaging when he implied that, in fact, Einstein had nothing to do with the atom bomb. In saying these things, John Rankin left himself open to scatching attack; but Rankin has been raising hell for many years, and feels no pains at editorial barbs. In calling Einstein an old faker Rankin used his congressional immunity from slander to good stead. Einstein is no more an old faker than Rankin, and we are inclined to think he is much less a faker than Rankin. In refutation of this accusation, it must be pointed out that scientists the world over regard Albert Einstein as the foremost theoretical physicist since Newton. Furthermore, Rankin, 68 years old, was a little forward in calling Einstein, 71 years old, an "old" faker. Rankin listed a few of the Communist front groups in which Einstein was or is engaged. They are: Congress of American Soviet Friendship, Protection of Foreign Born, and the Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee committee. Whether Rankin's accusations are true or not depends upon the validity of Einstein's participation, and whether these groups are really Communistically controlled. Lest we forget, many an innocent man has invested money or worked for Red organizations which seem legitimate. Rankin, himself, was one of the big cogs in forming our own Un-American Activities committee which in many respects is far more dangerous to democratic government than any number of Red front groups. As a final affront, Rankin murmured that Einstein had nothing to do with the atom bomb. He's wrong again, Einstein's theory of relativity, according to leading scientists, is the basis for the atom bomb. In addition, Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt during the early war years was instrumental in starting U.S. research to work on the bomb. Einstein won the Nobel prize in 1922, and holds honorary degrees at Oxford, Cambridge, London, Paris. Harvard, Princeton, Manchester, Madrid, Geneva, and many other universities. He has written many notable scientific papers; one in conjunction with Sigmund Freud. Now who's the old faker? —WFS Dyche Museum Adds New Lights, Cases The most recent remodeling in the Museum of Natural History is almost completed. Changes in the panorama on the ground floor of the museum have been made to increase public interest in the exhibits. Increasing the light and slanting the glasses separating the observer from the exhibits has reduced reflections. Help the March of Dimes by attending a benefit dance in the Union ballroom from 9 p. m., to midnight Saturday. Admission is 75 cents a couple. Alpha Phi Omega, service fraternity, is sponsoring the dance. Daily Kansan University News Room Adv. Room K.U. 251 K.U.376 Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Student Carpenters To Save $800 By Remodeling Westminster Kitchen Member of the Kansas Press Assn. Press Assn., and the Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by the National Ad- vice Service 420 Madison Ave, New York City. Editor-in-Chief Warren Saas Managing Editor Kay Dyer Asst. Managing Ed. Doris Greenbank Asst. Managing Ed. Dale W. Fields City Editor Keith Leslie Asst. City Editor Kelly Farrill Asst. City Editor John S. Hill Asst. City Editor Robert Sigman Asst. City Editor Edward Chapin Feature Editor Kay O'Connor Society Editor Allix Neville Asst. Society Ed. Victor Wilkie Asst. Society Ed. Elaine Elvig Telegraph Editor Norma Hunsinger Asst. Tel. Ed. Ralph Hemenway Asst. Tel. Ed. Oren Wright Asst. Tel. Ed. Harrison Madden Sports Editor Nelson Ober Asst. Sports Ed. Richard Disch Asst. Sports Ed. Robert Leonard Asst. Sports Ed. Robert Enright Business Manager ... Bob Day Adv. Manager ... James Shriver Nat. Adv. Mgr ... Robert Honnold Clr. Mgr ... Dorothy Hogan Classified Adv. Mgr ... Forrest Bellus Promotion Mgr ... Charles Reiner More than 35 Westminster fellowship members have joined in modernizing the kitchen of Westminster hall at a saving of $800. The hall is a student meeting place and home of the University Presbyterian student pastor and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. John H. Patton. rence contractor. Dr. John Patton is supervising the building. Working in shifts, the students have removed a wall between the kitchen, unchanged since 1902, and the pantry. A chimney running from the basement to 10 feet above the roof has been torn down. Hot and cold water pipes have been shifted and wall patches insulated, lathed, and plastered. Linoleum wall covering, woodwork, and ceiling paint will be applied. Installation of an island sink and builft-in cabinets is planned. Floor linoleum will be laid. Completion of the project begun Feb. 9 is expected this week. Sixty-three working hours have been given by some students to date, and 250 hours have been pledged for the coming week. Luncheon and dinner has been served for the students Chairman of the project is Austin Pickering, business senior. Technical advisor is Philip Hesselgrave, engineering sophomore and Law- Funds for the building program were raised by Westminster fellowship members through personal contributions, church donations, and gifts from parents of students. $1,497 was the lowest professional bid received for repairs by the fellowship. Students will complete the job for approximately $600, it has been stated, thus saving more than $800. Projects undertaken by members of Westminster previously include the building of a backyard fireplace, terracing of the backyard lawn, and painting the entire outside of Westminster hall. A total of 180,919 disabled World War II veterans were in training under public law 16, on the last day of 1949. Sponsored by Alpha Phi Omega ATTEND March of Dimes Benefit Ball 9 to 12 Feb.18 Union Ballroom 75c a couple BUY and SELL through Daily Kansan Classifieds KU376