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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1949
Three Cities Fall As Nationalists Weaken In China
Hong Kong, Dec. 6—U.P.)-The weakened Nationalist position in Southwest China crumbled along a broad front today as three more major cities went over to the Communists.
Yuchi, only 30 miles South of Kunming, fell to the Communists when the Nationalist garrison revolted and joined with Communist guerrillas.
Communist troops at the same time began a wide sweeping movement South of Chengtu to attack up the Min river valley from the South and pocket an estimated 80,000 Nationalist troops troops retreating North from Chungking.
Communist troops marched into Nanning peacefully Monday Chinese reports said. A third city, Pakhoi, on the gulf of Tonkin 120 miles Southeast of Nanning, and fell to the Communists.
In the Southwest, Communist columns occupied Nanning and the Nationalist provincial government prepared to evacuate Kunming threatened by defections.
Refugees said Pakhoi fell so swiftly that three civil air transport planes there had only one hour to take off for Hainan island and Hong Kong.
Latest renorts said Nationalist Gen. Pai Chung-Hsi, commander of the last intact Nationalist army in Southwest China, was making an orderly march into Litchow peninsula to embark for Hianan island.
Nationalist troops defending Chengtu were reported deploying South and East of the city in efforts to slow up the Communist drive and give Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek time to evacuate the last of his nationalist government.
Latest reports said the Communists had captured Tzekeng, 120 miles Southeast of Chengtu. A second Communist force from Kweichow province was reported sweeping up the Min River vallley toward Loshan, 70 miles South of Chengtu.
Ise Students Get Vacation
John Ise, professor of economics,
will be in Wichita Wednesday. None
of his classes will meet that day.
Charles S. Rhyne, general counsel of the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers, will address a School of Law convocation at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Rhyne Will Speak To Law Students
The convocation will be in the library of Green hall. Mr. Rhyne will speak on some phase of the administration of municipalities. This is his first speaking engagement at the University.
Mr. Rhyne will come to Lawrence from Kansas City, Mo. where he is attending the 14th annual conference of the National institute of Municipal Law Officers. His home office is in Washington, D.C. M. Rhyne has received degrees from Duke and George Washington universities.
16 Kansans Seek Rhodes Awards
Two Kansas candidates for Rhodes scholarship awards will be selected at a meeting of the state Rhodes scholarship committee today and Wednesday, in Topeka, Dr. W. E. Sandellus, professor of political science, said today.
They are Dean Tracy Collins, Roger Lane Clubb, and Ralph Oliver Simmons, College seniors; Wilson E. O'Connell, College junior; and Charles Earl Hoffhaus, law senior.
Sixteen Kansas students have been nominated for the scholarship awards by colleges of Kansas and the University, Dr. Sandelius said. Five of the 16 are students at the University.
Industrial Design Club To Make Exposition Item
The two Kansas candidates for the scholarship award will be selected from the 16 nominated students, Dr. Sandelius said.
The Industrial Design club discussed the problem of interesting more freshman students in club membership at a meeting recently.
Plans are underway to prepare and display an article at the engineering exposition.
Wanted: One Small Tooth
To Prevent Christmas Fires Follow Common Sense Rules
East Chicago, Ind..(U.P.)-Two-month-old Ronald Bernacki won't have his lower front tooth for Christmas.
A dentist extracted the tooth because it was puncturing nipples on the boy's milk bottles and cutting his tongue.
Common sense is the best way to eliminate fire hazards from your Christmas decorations, Paul Ingels, Lawrence chief, and Keith Lawton, director of University dormitories, said today.
"Take all the precautions with Christmas decorations that you can," Chief Ingels said. "You never know when a fire is liable to start."
"Do all you can to minimize the fire hazard of Christmas trees and decorations," advised Mr. Lawton. "I want to urge everyone and especially Sunnyside and dormitory residents against the use of open candles in Christmas decorations."
Chief Ingels listed 10 precautions that would minimize the fire hazard. They are:
1. Choose a small Christmas tree.
2. Keep the tree outdoors until a few days before Christmas.
3. Place the tree in the coolest spot in the tree. Chief Ingels said that the tree would remain fresh and green longer if placed in a container of moist sand. The container may be decorated to resemble the base of the tree.
4. Use only Christmas tree lights that have been approved by the Underwriters' laboratories. Inspect the lights each year to make sure that the wiring is not frayed.
8. Use flame proof decorations
7. Change the position of the lights when the needles around the light become brown.
6. Have the switch to turn the lights off away from the tree. If fire should break out the lights could then be turned out.
9. Keep Christmas decorations away from chairs and tables. This would prevent the accidental igniting of decorations by cigarets.
Chief Ingels said that flame proof cotton and colored paper were made especially for Christmas decorations and he urged their use.
Mr. Lawton agreed with the 10 precautions recommended by Chief Ingles and added four of his own. These are:
10. Have the curtains at least six inches away from any electric window decoration.
1. Don't overload electrical circuits. He said that many fires had been caused by having too many extensions on one circuit.
2 Don't place the Christmas tree light bulb parallel to the branch of the tree.
4. Inspect the decorations after a party to be sure that no lights are left burning or any cigarettes are still lit.
3. Turn off Christmas lights when there is no one in the house.
Mr. Lawton said that every floor and hallway of University dormitories are equipped with fire-extinguisher. These extinguisher are both the chemical and water type. He said that most dormitories have fire drills once a month.
The Christmas spirit began to reign over Strong hall the past weekend when a 22-foot tree on a revolving stand was set up in the rotunda. Pausing to admire the decorations are Joe Evans, Lloyd Mickelson, and Rollin Crawford, all College Freshmen.
"The old-fashioned tree" was the theme used by the design department this year when its students and faculty members constructed "home-made" decorations. Ray Ottinger, instructor in design, was chairman of the group.
Bushels of colored ornaments, 36 gallons of popcorn, 13 strings of electric lights, hundreds of cranberries, and many paper dolls were among the decorations hung on the tree Dec. 3. Men from the buildings and grounds department removed the chandelier from the ceiling to make room for the Christmas tree. It is the largest ever set up in Strong hall, Mr. Ottinger said.
Willard Straight Is Outstanding Feature Of KU Symphony Concert Program
Bv DALE S. ROMIG
The performance of Willard Straight, fine arts junior, was easily the most outstanding feature of the program presented Monday night by the University of Kansas Symphony orchestra, directed by Russell L. Wiley, professor of band and orchestra.
Straight played the piano so Cesar Franck's "Variations Symphoniques," a task which proved his talent. Except for slightly stuttering string pizzicato accompaniment, the final portion of the "Variations" was the best of the three.
The other soloist on the program, James Sellards, education senior, did not show the polish that Straight exhibited, even though at times he displayed much skill with his cornet. He played the "Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra" by Haydn.
The program opened with waltzes from Richard Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" and included as the major work of the evening, Brahms Third symphony.
Jefferson County Club To Hold Dance
The Jefferson county club of the Statewide Activities commission will complete dance plans at a meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday in 119 Fraser hall, said Mary Anne O'Neill, chairman.
The dance will be held at Oskaloosa during Christmas vacation to raise money for the Jayhawker yearbook subscriptions. All Jefferson county students are invited.
Miss Jackson is from the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Three Clubs To Hear Medical Center Speaker
Miss Alma Jackson will discuss the relationship of physical therapy, pre-nursing, and occupational therapy at a combined meeting of the three clubs at 7:30 p.m. today at the Union.
Club members will hold a square dance after the meeting.
Scientists Say Bomb Shipments Probably Useless
Washington, Dec. 6—U.(P.)—House spy hunters today were on the trail of a mysterious wartime shipment to Russia of A-bomb uranium which may have been "doctored" to make it useless.
It also was learned that a ban imposed by the late President Roosevelt preventing government agencies from giving Congress access to confidential material may be lifted next month. The security ban, which President Truman has kept in effect, and the mystery cargo were key items in a broadening inquiry into shipment of atomic materials and other secrets via the aerial lend-lease pipeline to Russia.
The names of such high wartime officials as the late Harry Hopkins, White House confidant, and former vice president Henry A. Wallace have been linked to the inquiry so far. Wallace said he had "absolutely nothing to do" with the shipsments. Hopkins' relatives, friends and close associates branded as "incredible" charges that he was partly responsible.
George Racey Jordan, former Army Air force major, touched off the inquiry with a report that Russian agents sent tons of maps, documents, atomic materials and other secret items through the pipeline at Great Falls, Mont., where Jordan was lend-lease "expediter" in 1943-44
Wallace's name was brought up by Fulton Lewis, Jr., last night. He said the onetime vice president and cabinet member overrode Lt. Gen Leslie R. Groves to speed up delivery of the atomic materials. Groves was in charge of the wartime atomic energy project.
The State department announced that in April, 1943, a license was issued for shipping 1400 pounds of unrefined uranium and 25 pounds of uranium to Russia. The following November, it said, approval was given for sending 1,000 grams (about two pounds) of heavy water. Both are bomb components.
There have been hints of a "doctored" uranium shipment. It is known that uranium can be tainted to make it worthless and heavy water presumably also could be treated.
Dr. Grothaus Gets Puzzle From Collector In Illinois
Dr. Clarence Grothaus, research associate for the Research foundation at the University, has added a new puzzle to his collection of 325 "brain busters."
The puzzle was a gift from a fellow puzzle expert in Illinois who learned of the Grothaus collection from a story in a St. Louis newspaper. The Illinois admirer, a 68-year-old physician, began corresponding with Dr. Grothaus to promote an exchange of ideas.
The University's puzzle expert believes a hobby can be worthwhile as well as pleasant. Dr. Grothaus uses his hobby to bring before the public many sociological and emotional problems. He often exhibits his collection to youth, church, and service organizations.
The chemist was recently contacted by a veteran's hospital concerning staging an exhibition of his collection for the patients. The recreation director of the hospital was interested in Dr. Grothaus' hobby because she said that most of the patients are hospitalized for long periods of time and that a hobby would give many of them long hours of enjoyment.
Dr. Grothaus became interested in puzzles while a small boy and has been collecting them ever since. For 28 years, while teaching in small colleges in Illinois and Oklahoma as well as Kansas, he has continued working with his hobby. His collection includes peg, mercury, gravity, magnetic, block, wire, string, geometrical, sliding block, centrifugal, sliding panel, and mathematical
puzzles. He is still looking for new ideas.
Most of the puzzles were constructed by Dr. Grothaus from examples and ideas found in books on hobbies and recreation. He has searched libraries throughout the United States for new types. He even managed to examine part of the 29 miles of books in the library of Congress, but gave up because he already had all the types he found there.
Once, while traveling through western Illinois on a summer vacation, Dr. Grothaus stopped his automobile at a service station to buy gasoline. He went into the station to pay the attendant and noticed a puzzle on the desk. He pick it up and played with a for a few minutes but could not work it. He asked the man where it had come from and was told that the puzzle had been left there by a traveler. Dr. Grothaus found that it was an original idea and showed such interest that the attendant gave the toy to him. It has since become one of the prize "sticklers" of his collection.
Dr. Grothaus' interest in puzzles has been so keen that his wife and two children have become hobbyists.