PAGE TEN
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
.
FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1948
The Editorial Page
Keep Your Car In Top Shape
One out of every six fatal accidents involves an automobile with some kind of a mechanical defect, according to late reports of the record-makers. Moreover, the proportion of defective cars has been steadily increasing since 1941, when it was only one in 12 or 13.
On the face of it, this kind of news is both discouraging and alarming.
While we are in the midst of an all-out offensive against the fearful economic waste and personal tragedy of street and highway accidents, millions of automobiles limping along the roads are menaces to life and limb, regardless of whether their drivers are competent or not. With all the driving skill in the world and every faithful observance of rules of the road, a motorist is helpless when his steering wheels, brakes, or some other vital part of his car fails him in an emergency. He is helpless, and so are the pedestrians and other drivers in his path.
The hopeful side of the picture is that here we have to deal with mechanical failure alone—something far less elusive than human failure. It becomes human failure, too, only when the responsibility for proper car maintenance is left up to individual motorists and then neglected by them. To be on the safe side, that responsibility should be made a part of law.
If high standards of motor vehicle performance were required by statute and enforced by periodic inspections in every state of the Union, 5-000 lives might be saved in a single year.
Motorists owe it to their futures, their families and their fellow-men to become safe drivers. They owe it to their cars to keep them fit. Even the safest driver is no safer than his car.
Weak Argument
The recent Eisenhower and Mac- Arthur booms for president have once more brought to the surface what has almost become an instinct for many Americans—an aversion to having military men hold the presidency.
A glance at the history of the executive branch of our government should show whether this is a prejudice based on fact or personalities. We have had nine presidents who have served with the rank of general in the army of the United States: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley. Although the popular appeal of most of these men was based on their military records, only two of them, Taylor and Grant, could be classified as professional soldiers. Thus the field is limited to begin with.
Basing any opinion on the presidential record of Zachary Taylor would be unaffair. He was chosen by the Whigs because he was the outstanding hero of the Mexican war; and since he was entirely new to politics, his opinions on the political questions of the day were unknown. However, he never had a chance to prove himself. He died about a year after taking office.
This leaves us with hapless Ulysses S. Grant. Grant, as president, was a very different person from the grim alert leader on the field of battle He appeared confused and unable to make sound judgments either on policy matters on in choosing his advisers. As a result, his administrations were characterized by a
SAFE
FREQUENT INSPECTION AND ADJUSTMENT OF STEERING GEAR, BRAKES,
AND OTHER SAFETY DEVICES
Benediction?
Dear Editor:
Come now, Dr. Brady, I'll gladly trade my idea-scarred ivory tower for the recent faculty majority report which discovered that the languages were 99-44-100 per cent pure. Since I heard no dissension from the language faculty ranks, one can only rejoice with you in the "realistic," if not "isolationist," belief that "languages are the best possible courses." What could be a more fitting benediction?
Marko L. Haggard
Graduate student
Political Science major
Mr. Haggard refers to a letter to the editor published in the May 18 issue of the Daily Kansas by Agnes M. Brady, assistant professor of Romance languages. —Editor.
Through the simple process of elimination, it would seem that most of the antipathy to military men holding the presidency must stem from the Grant debacle. That is a pretty weak argument to use as a condemnation of all military men who seek, or are sought for, this high office.
flood of political scandals and a generally low tone of public morality. He definitely is a wonderful example of a failure as president.
Could it be that the candidates, should be judged as individuals and not as mere products of their previous occupations? — Anna Mary Murphy.
At the downtown theaters to stop the disturbances during the advertisements, an open letter is shown which tells what the merchants do for the students. It would be interesting to point out what the students do for the merchants, too.
- Letters To The Editor -
The following letters refer to an editorial entitled "Wasted Time" written by John Stauffer which appeared in the May 17 issue of the Daily Kansan—Editor.
Alternative
Dear Editor:
Re:Monday's editorial of refutation.
"Wasted Time".
The A.S.C. does not expect its amendment on the blocking of polling lines to eradicate the trouble. Driving regulations haven't stopped speeding on the campus drives. It is hoped that the threat of legal action may minimize the dilatory tactics used by worried party members at election time. "No blocking" will be as difficult of enforcement as "no electioneering." a constitutional prohibition on the books for several semesters.
The bill was offered as a legal alternative to the physical ejection from line favored by political "realists" on the Hill. As for the term "childish" editorially assigned to the amendment, it may be better applied to the behavior that forced consideration of the bill. Such extended discussion of Council measures by the Daily Kansan is always appreciated. Some constructive suggestions on better ways to guarantee the student's right to vote will be especially welcome.
Things must be getting back to normal. Ely Culbertson is writing bridge books again.
Jim Petersen College junior Alice Wismer College senior
The Editor Fool-Proof?
Dear Editor:
So, "The A.S.C. is wasting its time with such a bill as this unless they have a fool-proof method for seeing that it can be carried out to the letter." Perhaps Mr. Stauffer would like the abolition of laws against murder merely because every culprit is not convicted. I ask him, what law is fool-proof?
I am quite sure that the draftsmen of the bill to prohibit loitering around the polls were totally aware that their bill would not stop voters from getting "confused" or marking their ballots wrong and having to get new ones. They did not propose it as a cure-all. However, I believe the purpose of the bill was to stop certain people, whose jewelry excludes them from the majority of students who frequent the Union building, from standing either in the polling lines or around the polling table after they have already voted. Certainly, there can be little question as to whether a voter's activity book has been punched.
Donald Griffin College freshman
One of the letters to the editor appearing in the Daily Kansan said "the only thing trite about 'College Daze' was the title." On the contrary, it seemed to us, that appearing as it did during the two weeks preceding finals the title was quite appropriate.
"Russia offers to talk," says a headline in the Kansas City Star. But there was nowhere any mention of being willing to listen.
Bullet GALLAGHER
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