PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1948
The Editorial Page-
Poor Publicity
In recent weeks, much newspaper space has been given to news concerning the practices of automobile dealers during this day of post-war shortages. Perhaps the most significant point brought out has been the forthright admission of dealers that they had no scruples against accepting as much as $500 as a "tip" for delivering a new car.
And this admission comes from the same dealers who, before the war, would spend days at a time trying to sell a new car. They would also, at that time, make a fair allowance for a trade-in. It isn't a pretty picture and we would like to believe that the practices are carried only by the minority, but the facts are lacking to prove it one way or the other. The fact does stand out that the industry is getting some extremely bad publicity.
Another practice giving the industry a bad name is the practice of loading cars with all the accessories that will hang on. Perhaps the height of unfairness was reached by the dealer we heard of recently who added an electric shaver to the list. And, if the buyer objects, it's "Take it or leave it."
As we see it, the regulation is up to the manufacturer. The day is fast approaching when the dealers will again be faced with the prospect of really selling automobiles while for sometime they have been simply making deliveries.
Of course, this condition has not been helped materially by the customer who put his name on several lists, took delivery, and immediately sold out to make a "fast buck." The whole thing seems to point up the amount of greed inherent in a person's makeup.
The automobile industry is an important segment of our economy but a good many practices followed since the war seem to have been quite short sighted and we predict it will take a long time to live them down once the buyer's market returns. M.C.L.
- Letters To The Editor -
Press's Role
Dear Editor:
With "tongue in cheek" and due respects for your editorial opinion, it seems that if bigotry is to be overcome, the press will play a major role in its gradual extinction.
Righteous journalistic leadership does not waver to the foes of tolerance and understanding. If you sincerely regard discrimination as "galling" you are in a position to help express the ideas which will eventually prevail. Nothing gets done by itself or by saying it will merely "take years and generations to iron out." While this quotation may be t rue it should NOT be implied from it that generations will have to pass before people realize that tolerance stems from understanding and not aloofness.
The press is a leader dutybound to serve the best interests of the people. Leaders lead. They do not RUST on their laurels, nor do they speak of "deep sociological problems" without attempting to air these problems.
And it should be pointed out that the answers to these problems will be found not by those who merely argue, but by those who sympathize. For it is much easier to argue than it is to reason.
Courage Needed
Dear Editor
Leonard Snyder Journalism senior
Your recent editorial characterized the Daily Kansan's efforts in breaking down discrimination as accomplishing "nothing whatsoever." On the contrary, the Kansan should be sincerely thanked for helping to secure inter-racial sections in all theaters. One, the Granada, had not previously admitted negroes.
You believe "the trend is in the proper direction." Superficially, this is a convincing reason for going easy. But surely a trend is not something that is given us, unsought for, by the Muse of History; How can anything be done unless someone, someone with
courage, does something? Witness the Amherst boys and the Dodger manager.
There are already hard feelings—not the least of which are our own hard feelings because our actions do not square with what we know is democratic. The point; our timidity is natural but we must not let it stop us from doing what we can to build a lasting good feeling borne of democracy achieved.
Perhaps, as a starter, the Daily Kansan could publish the report on eating facilities sponsored by the Negro Student association, Y. M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., the American Veteran's committee, and the C.O. R.E., as the I.S.A.'s Kan-Do has already done. And, the Kansan writers could turn their admitted abilities to presenting and debating the issue.
Stan Kelley College senior
Wrong Slant
Dear Editor:
One of them is in reference to the "fight" between the three elements largely responsible in Spain for the defeat of the Republican regime, which must be interpreted as a struggle for domination among them and a continuance of the propaganda of fear which was the principal weapon of fascist Spain.
I find myself unable to accept certain statements attributed to me in the Dec. 2 account of my informal address at the Coffee and Forums committee.
The social and economic gains that in spite of obvious mistakes should be accredited to the Republic, have been destroyed because they were inimical to the interests of international capitalism. There is, moreover, a strong infiltration of British and American capital to exploit the natural resources of the country that the
The other statement is a complete misinterpretation of my exposition. There is such a thing as "free enterprise" in Franco's Spain; in fact, a complete reversion to the status quo that provoked the installation of the Republic.
Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Member of the Kansas Press Assn. Na-
tional Memorial Assn., Inland Daily Press
Assn., and New York Daily Press.
Represented by the National Ad-
dress Service. 420 Madison Ave.
New York, NY
Editor-in-Chief ... Maurice C. Lungen
Managing Editor ... Hal D. Nelson
Asst. Man. Editor ... Anne Murphy
Asst. Man. Editor ... Bill F. Mayer
Business Manager ... Don L. Tennant
Advertising Mgr... Don Welch
Nat1 Adv. Mgr... Charles O'Connor
Circulation Mgr... Ruth Clayton
Classified Mgr... Dena Knuth
Classified Mgr... David Watson
Asst. Class Mgr... Yvonne Jones
Asst. Class Mgr... William E. Beck
Promotion Mgr... Richard Reed
Republic, following socialistic policy, attempted to nationalize.
I believe that I tried to explain this condition in my chat, as well as the reasons for my strong opposition to participation of Franco's Spain in the U.N. Recognition of the Republic in exile is the only solution, in my estimation, but this move finds a strong opposition in international fascism, whatever aspects it chooses to take.
Jose M. Osma
Professor, Romance
Languages.
Jose M. Osma
914 $ \frac{1}{2} $ Mass.
Ph. 368
THE
SHOP