PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN LAWRENCE. KANSAS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1948
The Editorial Page—
Kansas Reapportionment
Some of the most difficult problems for any state to cope with are those which have resulted from the state's population shift from farm to city. This widespread trend, most noticeable in the past thirty years, has had its effect upon the state of Kansas.
The farm-to-city movement in Kansas has resulted in the overweighting of the rural as against the urban areas of the state in representation in the Kansas legislature. A perfect example of this may be found in Stanton and Sedgwick counties.
The member of the House of Representatives from Stanton county represented 1,328 persons in 1945. The three representatives from Sedgwick county, which includes the city of Wichita, represented 67,800 persons each, or 51 times as many as the representative from Stanton county.
According to the Kansas constitution, each of the 105 counties is allowed one representative in the legislature, and the constitution also limits the total number in the state to 125. This leaves an excess of 20 legislators to represent the larger populated counties. One can see that 20 is not enough.
The constitution also states that reapportionment must be made every five years. On this point, Kansas falls down. There has not been a significant reapportionment in Kansas in 37 years, which is about the length of time the farm-to-city movement has shown itself to be a real problem.
It now appears that if Kansas is to have reapportionment to provide equal representation, constitutional revision will be necessary. Even this is not probable for sometime, because legislators from areas which have advantages in apportionment are reluctant to give them up.
The makers of the constitution had no way of foreseeing this farm-to-city movement. In the early years of the state, when population was largely rural, apportionment was fairly equal but the migration to cities has upset the balance.
Only when these areas holding apportionment advantages become aware that they are crippling the effectiveness of the state, and become willing to surrender those advantages for the good of the state, will Kansas be equally represented in their state legislature.
—Darell Norris.
The poor turkey complains more every year about Christmas and Santa Claus moving in on his holiday. Seems like a silly thing to lose your head over.
America's housing situation and the plight of thousands of families should be a little plainer to President Truman now that he is having a little housing trouble himself.
- Letters To The Editor -
Dear Editor:
In an editorial discussing my recent suggestion that the Daily Kansan "campaign" against discriminatory practices of the Lawrence theaters, you cautiously mention that if pressure is brought to bear in this direction, conditions might be made worse and in support of this contention, the case of the "near riot" is cited.
This writer does not support blood letting on Massachusetts street as a means to securing abolition of racial discrimination. But, there are other more effective actions. We live under a government of law, not of men, and as such the law supposedly is the medium which expresses public policy. To wit, it is against public policy to murder; consequently the law makes murder a crime, and prescribes penalties for violators.
Sometime ago the Kansas legislature passed a law, still in force (R.S., 1923, 21-2424) which, generally speaking, makes it a misdemeanor for the owner or his agent of any inn, place of entertainment, etc., to make any distinction on account of race, or color. This law, together with numerous statements by the governor, would seem to indicate that the public policy of the State of Kansas opposes Jim Crow.
Two technicalities, however, have served to make the above mentioned statute inoperative. (1) The Supreme Court of Kansas has narrowly construed the law so that the term "inn" does not mean a restaurant even though the spirit of the law seems to indicate that it does. (2) Another clause states that the law shall apply only to places of amusement "for which a license is required by any of the municipal authorities of this state."
Not too long ago when one of the negro citizens of Lawrence sued a local theater because of discrimination, the city council suddenly decided that it was no longer necessary to require licenses from the local theaters, thus removing the basis of the suit.
Further, it is the opinion of this writer that if such a campaign were initiated by the Daily Kansan, the University authorities would support such changes if asked for an opinion by the Governor or legislature. Thus, without engendering racial ill will, it may be possible, by law, to end Jim Crow in Kansas!
It would seem then, that there are several things which the Daily Kansan could support in "an all-out crusade" and which would not "cause more trouble than good." The Daily Kansan, without fear of inspiring violent or bloody revolution, could (1) Urge the local state senator and representative to support suitable amendments to the present law which would make it effective; (2) Point out the situation to the public so that the governor, who has professed a desire to end Jim Crow in Kansas, may use his influence to accomplish the same, and (3) Urge the Lawrence city council to require the licensing of local theaters.
University
William Scheinman College sophomore
Daily Hansan
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Draw Up Your Firesides, Folks; It's A New White House Program
"Chewing gum is American," a German policeman in the Russian sector told a reporter. "It now is against the law here."
Berlin — (UP) — Chewing gum went on the verboten list in the Soviet sector of Berlin today.
Chewing Gum Is Verboten
Washington—(UP)—A man from Dallas, has come up with what sounds like a pretty good idea.
Dr. Otho Lee Hiett, a naturalist and poet, was reading about the father and daughter banquet the other night at the National Press club here.
He thought it was right noble off President Truman and daughter Margaret to get up on the stage in front of all those folks to give a duet.
"But why," he asks, "should the enjoyment of the musical talents of our president and his daughter be limited to the daughters of 250 newspapermen and their fathers?"
Dr. Hiett is not jealous. But it got him to thinking about the letter he wrote to Mr. Truman in March, 1847. He suggested to the president then that "you and Margaret present a musical program over a nationwide radio network—the same as the late F.D.R. had for his fireside chats."
The blk hit made by Mr. Truman and Margaret at the press club party has strengthened Dr. Hiett's conviction.
"I am sure," he says, "that such a program would be joyfully received by a great majority of our people."
He thinks sometime during the holidays would be fine, maybe Christmas eve.
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