PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1048
The Editorial Page-
Halftime Review
The 20th century is our century. Most of us were born midway through the first half—sometimes in the 1920's or early 1930's. Most of us will live to see it end-2,000 years after the birth of Christ. The first half of our century is almost over. We have all felt the events of that first half—the two great wars, the tremendous strides of science, the great ups and downs of material prosperity and depression. Mankind has probably gained more and lost more in the past 50 years than in any other equal span of time in history.
So far, the 20th century has given us the assembly line and the atomic bomb; penicillin and Adolf Hitler; the prosperity of the 1920's, the poverty of the 1930's and the utter destruction of the 1940's.
For the first half of the century, our generation has been the innocent bystander. The second half will be our responsibility. Yes, it's the trite old thesis of many a commencement address—the world is yours," but isn't it true, after all? Isn't it about time we stopped looking upon events as inevitable and beyond our control? "War," we have admitted, "is senseless," and have always added," but what can be done about it?" War is not the result of unknown factors working against us. War is the result of mankind's own stupidity and selfishness. And something can be done about it. Individually, man is probably less cruel than he was in the Dark ages—collectively, he is still a brute. Yet where can the line be drawn between man as a group and the individuals which compose the group?
The secret which could lead us out of our primitive ways has been with us for nearly 2,000 years. Perhaps it's so big we can't see it before our eyes. It simply reads:
"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."
Life Begins At 65
With the current talk of the "welfare state" ringing in our ears, we might well consider the industrial pension plans.
The United Mine Workers introduced the overall pension into the scene of heavy industry in 1946 behind a smoke screen of Biblical quotations from John L. Lewis. It has since become the big issue with which organized labor has confronted the industry the past several years. The steel workers took up the torch and have since won a victory with the terms of armistice being a weaker carbon copy of the demands made by the coal workers in 1946.
Pension demands are essentially the same in every branch of organized labor. Benefits for aged workers, benefits for disabled workers, benefits for families, for orphans, for this and for that—these are the terms of the programs. There is no questioning their moralistic righteousness, but even the most humane liberal must question the economic validity of them. Everyone recognizes that successful operators in many fields don't suffer from mass malnutrition as a class, but the fact remains that operators will no longer stay in business if they don't glean some profits from their investments.
With pension expenses gnawing into the operators' profit and the specter of an overall federal pension program behind the door if labor and industry bicker too long, the much maligned "welfare state" cannot be laughed off. —Bill DeLay
New Alumni
In less than two months for some seniors, and a little more than a semester for the rest, all the aspects of the complicated process of being graduated from the University will, in most cases, be eagerly faced.
Those who will receive their degrees in February will not be involved in much of the formality in which the June graduates will be expected to participate; however, there is one question every senior will be asked to decide—whether or not to join the Alumni association upon graduation.
There is no denying the fact that graduation always incurs extra expense. And when joining the Alumni association is mentioned, the first thought is, "Oh, no—not something else to pay for!" and the decision more often than not is to exclude everything not absolutely required.
Nevertheless, the Alumni association, like every other organization, has both its good and bad sides to be studied before making a decision. The liability side (always the worst first) seems to be that it costs $2 a year to belong or $60 for a life membership. And that seems like a lot of money to many.
But there are some benefits, too. For one thing, the membership fee includes a subscription to the Graduate magazine, which is issued nine times a year and includes news of the campus and news of former University students. This enables the 1950 graduate to keep up with both the University and his former classmates. It reinforces the tie with K.U. and its functions.
Whether the scales tip more toward the asset or the liability side is for the senior to decide—he must determine whether $2 (a sum which has undoubtedly disappeared from him many times in a more frivolous manner) is too high a price to pay for lifetime affiliation and interest in his University.
—Norma Hunsinger
Dear Editor
Basketball
Dear Sir:
Apparently our K. U. Athletic department is more interested in the almighty dollar than it is in student support of student athletic teams. The commercial angle seems of primary importance to the athletic office. Why not give the basketball team back to the students?
Hoch auditorium, capacity 4,000 was not filled for the Purdue game. And goodly number of those present were not students. Yet the Pinkerton detectives on the gates were kicking every fifth or sixth student out of the line Saturday night—because he happened to be using the ticket of a student not caring to attend. These tickets, for which admission was denied, have been paid for. The situation as to each of these tickets is that one student has given his right to admission to another student. And why, may I ask, shouldn't he, except for the arbitrary policy of the money conscious Athletic department?
The Athletics department thus secures the revenue on all tickets isused, then excludes students using tickets of uninterested students, and proceeds to resell the seats thusleft vacant. for a few more dollars.The basketball team should be primarily for the benefit of students—those desiring to see the games. Only after these have tickets should the public be admitted.
If the office feels that its nontransfer policy is the only way, then why not give the students first opportunity at seats which are now going to the public, at a reasonable student price?
University
Daily Hansan
Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Member of the Kansas Press Assn.
Press Assn., and the Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by the National Ad-
ministration Service, 420 Madison Ave., New York City.
Editor in Chief ... James W. Scott
Managing Editor ... John Riley
Asst. Managing Ed. ... Kay Dyer
Asst. Managing Ed. ... Anna Keller
Asst. Keller ... Ruth Keller
Asst. City Editor ... Doris Greenbank
Asst. City Editor ... Keith Leslie
Asst. City Editor ... Dale Muilen
Sports Editor ... George Brown Jr.
Richardson ... Richardson
Asst. Sports Editor ... Nelson Ober
Asst. Sports Editor ... Robert Nelson
Telegraph Editor ... Darell Norris
Asst. Telegraph Ed. .. Norma Hunsinger
Asst. Telegraph Ed. .. Frankie Walts
 Society Editor ... Frankie Walts
Asst. Society Ed. .. Faye Wilkinson
Business Manager ... Bob Boltho
Manager ... Boothan
Circulation Manager ... Jim Shriver
Classified Manager ... Jim Miller
Promotion Manager ... Dorothy Hogan
Promotion Manager ... Bob Molloy
One-Act Plays With Student Casts Will Present Christmas Theme Dec.14
Eleven students have been chosen for the casts of two one-act plays to be given with a third, "The Long Christmas Dinner" at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, in Fraser theater.
The plays are "The Gift of the *Magi*, an adaptation of the O. Henry story by Joseph Free, and "There's Something I've Got to Tell You," by William Saroyan.
the cast for "The Gift of the Magi" is Don Harling, College senior; Katy Coad, William Means, Kay Peters, and John W. White, Jr., College sophomores; George Upham, fine arts sophomore, and Raymond Peerv. College freshman.
For the second play, cast members are Twila Wagner, education senior; Warren Andreas and Sally Garland, College sophomores, and Mary Beth Moore, College freshman, Milton Commons, graduate student, will direct the newly cast plaus.
"There's Something I've Got To Tell You" was written as a radio play. In the University production the audience will see the scenery, but will only hear the actors.
Admission to the plays will be 25 cents a person. Tickets may be obtained at the door.
But first, what is the explanation for the non-transfer policy? Why shouldn't a non-interested student give his ticket to an interested student fan?
Alfred L. Burgert Law school senior
AT DUCK'S FOR
Lunch
3 decker Sandwich
on white or Rye
Baked ham
Lettuce
Brick Cheese
Potato Chips
Coffee
Dinner
Hamburger Steak
Salad
Potatoes
Bread & Butter
Coffee
DUCK'S TAVERN 824 Vt.
The Bus- (Adv.)
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