University Daily Kansan 45th Year No.143 Thursday, May 6, 1948
STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Lawrence, Kansas
Government May Seize Railroads If Unions Strike
Washington, May 6—(UP)A high official said today the government will seize the nation's railroads if their wage dispute is not settled before the May 11 strike deadline.
This official, who asked not to be quoted by name, said the government will do everything it can to settle the wage dispute without seizure. But he added:
"We just can't let a railroad strike happen. The government will take over and operate the railroads if this dispute is not settled before the strike deadline."
Meanwhile the White House today called members of the three strike-threatening railroad unions to a conference tomorrow.
a counterpart. The union chiefs will meet with John R. Steelman, assistant to President Truman. Mr. Steelman is in charge of last-ditch government efforts to mediate the dispute.
The three unions involved in the threatened strike are the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood of Firemen and Enginemen and the Switchmen's union. They are asking a 30 per cent pay increase and about 20 changes in working rules for their 150,000 members.
The railroads have offered a 15½- cent hourly wage boost, the same figure recommended last march by a presidential fact-finding board which studied the dispute.
Justice department attorneys believe the government has clear authority to seize the railroads under on old World War I law. This law gives the chief executive power to take over the rail system "in time of war."
They said the law still holds because President Truman has not yet proclaimed the end of World War II.
It was not yet certain how the government would get the rail workers to stay on the job in case of seizure.
Three railroads—the Pennsylvania, the Southern Railway system and the Atlantic Coastline—have formally notified their employees they will be forced to shut down if the strike goes on as scheduled.
A dozen railroads already have advised shippers that in the next few days they will stop accepting perishable freight shipments.
Mr. Truman may talk about the government's plans and hopes on the strike threat at his 2 p.m. news conference.
Instructor Heads Science Academy
Ronald McGregor, assistant instructor of botany, was recently elected chairman of the botanical section of the Kansas Academy of Science.
Four papers were presented by members of the botany department at the Pittsburgh meeting. "Two New Species of Xanthophyceae and a New Record of Naegeliella flagellera" was presented by Rufus Thompson, assistant professor of botany. "First Year Invasion of Plants on an Exposed Lake, Bed" was given by Mr. McCregor. He also gave "Kansas Plants New to Kansas Herbaria III", which he had written in collaboration with Dr. W.H. Horr. "Soil Fungi of the Muscotah Marsh" was presented by Frank Emerson, assistant instructor of botany.
Other members of the department who attended were A. J. Mix, chairman of the department, and W. H. Horr, associate professor of botany. After the meeting the delegates from the University went on a three-day field trip.
WEATHER
Kansas—Generally fair today, tonight, and tomorrow. Warner northwest today and west tonight. Warming tomorrow, High today 65 to 70. Low tonight near 40 west, to middle 40's east.
Arabs To Invade Palestine Area After May 15
Jerusalem, May 6—(UP)—King Abdullah of Trans-Jordan has declared his intention of invading Palestine after the British leave whether or not the Arab league accepts an armistice.
He said he had recalled his foreign minister from a conference with other Arab leaders at Damascus because he was "tired of negotiations and propositions."
"I have decided to enter Palestine after May 15 with an Iraqi army even if the Arab league decides to accept armistice proposals," the Arab monarch said.
The Red Cross delegation late Wednesday night handed Arab and Jewish leaders a list of eight conditions under which the Red Cross would supervise the Holy City truce.
The four main conditions
1. Jews and Arabs would govern their respective sections of the city under civil authority.
2. Jerusalem must be completely demilitarized.
3. Red Cross convoys must be given completely free passage to any militarized area outside Jerusalem on entering or leaving the Holy City.
4. The Red Cross regime will end when Red Cross officials establish a breach of the truce by either side or when both sides give three days advance notice.
Famous Tenor Sings Tonight
FREDERICK JAGEL
Frederick Jagel, first tenor of the Metropolitan opera, will appear in a complimentary concert at 8:20 p.m. today in Hoch auditorium.
Mr. Jagel's program will include:
"Vanne, Si Superba, Va" from the opera "Giustino" (Haidel), "Wenn Du Mich Mit Den Augen Streifst Und Lachst", "Olf", "Ein Staendchen Euch Zu Bringen" (Wolf), "Der Tod, Das Ist Die Kuehle Nacht" (Brahms), "Sind Es Schmerzen, Sind Es Freuden" (Brahms).
“Apres Un Reve” (Faure), “Fleur Jetee” (Faure), C'Est Le Joli Printemps) (Poulenc), “Les Gars Qui Vont a La Fonte” (La Fonte), “Clair De Lune” (Debussy), “Ballade Des Femmes de Paris” (Debussy).
Little Man On Campus
"Lament of Ivan the Proud"
(Charles Griffes), "This Little Rose"
(William Roy), "Captain Kidd"
(Gene Bone and Howard Fenton),
and "My Heart the Bird of the Wilderness (ms)" (Paul Creston).
William Whitaker will be at the piano.
"I think you're taking that bacteriology course a little too seriously!"
Students Blank Screen To Protest Movie Ads
Student protest against the showing of advertising on Lawrence theater screens reached a climax Wednesday when one student managed to cover the lens of the projector and blank out the screen at the Jayhawker theater.
For the past three weeks screen advertising has been accompanied by cloud handlamming and feet stomp-
1,500 Degrees To Be Awarded This Spring
A record class of 1,500 will receive degrees at the 76th annual commencement exercises of the University June 7, James K. Hitt, registrar, announced today.
The old record for degrees awarded on one commencement program was 1.186 set last June.
Actually 552 of the candidates for degrees completed their work last August or February. Another 326 graduates plan to complete requirements during the summer session. They will be eligible for the June exercises, but their names will not appear on the 1948 program.
appeal Gov. Frank Carlson will deliver a brief message to the seniors, Oscar Stauffer, Topeka, will speak for the state board of egcnt. Cincellor Deane W. Malott will give a short farewell message and Drew McLaughlin, Paola, chairman of the board of regents, will present the diplomas.
Speaker at the baccalaureate services, June 6, will be the Rev. Albert E. Haydoh, professor emeritus of comparative religion at the University of Chicago.
Graduates should obtain parent's tickets which admit them to commencement exercises, at the time of obtaining cap and gown. If the weather is unfavorable the commencement will be held in Hoch auditorium. Tickets will be the only means of admission.
means of the
Caps and gowns may be ok'd
from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ju 5 or
from 3 to 5 p.m. June 6 at Frank
Strong annex A by presentation of
the receipt for senior dues.
'Foreign Students Are Ambassadors'
"Foreign students are like goodwill ambassadors representing their respective countries," L. C. Woodruff, dean of men, told the International club at a Swedish smorgasbord dinner-dance at the Castle Tea room Wednesday night.
Mr. Woodruff spoke on the relations of the faculty and the foreign students. Ernest Friesen, All Student Council member talked on the relations of the A.W.S. and the foreign students.
Marvin Martin, president of the International Relations club, talked on unifying the two international clubs into one body. No action was taken, however. Bruce Wilder spoke of relations between U.N.E.S.C.O. and foreign students.
New officers of the club were inaugurated.
NSA Elects Ford President,
5 Other Offices Filled
Arthur C. Ford, pharmacy freshman, was elected president of the Negro Students association Wednesday. He will take office immediately.
Other officers elected were Lewis D. Welton, vice-president, James Grayson, executive secretary, Mary C. Jones, treasurer, and Evelyn H. Harris, secretary. Floyd H. Thurston will be the N.S.A. representative to the All Student Council.
ing at all of the theaters.
The student who stopped the advertising Wednesday sat in the top row of the balcony, directly below the projection room. When the ads came on the screen he held a card in front of the camera.
The American Society of Tool Engineers heard J. Y. Reidel, metallurgist for the Bethlehem Steel company of Bethlehem, Pa., give an illustrated lecture on "Heat Treatment and Application of Tool Steels" in Lindley auditorium Wednesday.
Stanley E. Schwain, manager of the Commonwealth theaters, said he knew some of the leaders of the disturbance, but no action against them would be taken now. Mr. Schwain also said there was nothing he could do to cut out the advertising-
"I have leased advertising rights on my screen to the United Film company and they sell advertising to Lawrence merchants. Until the lease is up, there is nothing I can do."
He added that the 5-year contract allows six advertisements to be shown but he has managed to cut this down to four.
"They've got me over a barrel." Mr. Schwahn said. "The boy who had that card last night said they would continue to create disturbances until advertising was taken from the screen.
"The merchants who use this advertising are the same ones who do everything in their power to aid the University. Right now they are giving their time and money to put over the World War II Memorial drive and the students are cutting their throat."
Time taken up by advertising is not as long as the time required to run the production credits at the beginning of a feature, so it must not be the time element that students are complaining about, Mr. Schwahn said.
"I have been operating theaters in Lawrence for 19 years, always showing to student crowds, and this is the first time I have ever had any disturbance of this kind.
"Patrons who drive from out of town are disgusted at University students."
Metallurgist Talks To ASTE Group
In his talk Mr. Reidel classified the various tool steels, and described their composition and application, and the various methods of heat treatment. His slides showed how the various tool steels were applied, and showed examples of incorrect procedure in heat treatment and what resulted.
The Kansas City chapter of A. S.T.E. was a guest of the University chapter at the meeting.
Mrs. Soloveitchik Discusses Unrest In Soviet History
The three Soviet revolutions were narrated by Mrs. Rachael Soloveitchik, Russian instructor, at the Wednesday meeting of the Russian club in Fraser hall.
The discussion included short sketches of the Russo-Japanese war, Nicholas II, the Tsar's wife, and Rasputin and his murder.
Rasputin, a crude, drunken peasant, held a hypnotic influence on the royal family because of his success with "treating" the heir who had hemophilia.
The Germans aided Lenin to reenter Russia during World War I and gave Rusputin financial support.