PAGE SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1948
The Editorial Page
America And The Classroom
One of the purposes of a liberal education should be to wipe the cobwebs from men's minds and to enable them to become independent thinkers—men of action fully prepared for life as they find it in the countries in which they live.
Young Americans have to live their lives in an America filled with
problems with which they must ideal. Unfortunately, a liberal education in most American colleges consists of harkening back to ancient civilizations, reading the literature of Rome and Athens, delving into the policies of France and England, or exploring the lives of European conquerors. If the American scene is mentioned, it is "economic man" who gets all the attention. America is more than a nation of moneychangers.
Admittedly our nation has had a phenomenal economic history, but she has also developed a culture all her own that we should not overlook. The Greeks and Romans did not ignore their civilizations. In fact, they turned their eyes and thoughts upon themselves, and that may be why the results have been enduring. American colleges must look about—they won't have to look far—and bring America into the classroom. Let young Americans know more about the country they live in. Help them determine how they want to continue to live in it. Europe, of course, cannot be neglected, but it should be studied in regard to its influence on American civilization.
To develop American men and women leading active intellectual lives, meeting the problems of their own country with an informed background, and emancipating the minds of other citizens is a goal worthy of any educator. The tools to achieve such a program are at hand. It should not be difficult to pick them up.
The recent pay raise for veterans attending school shows one thing anyway. It costs more to live in poverty nowadays.
Dear Editor
Free Speech
Dear Editor,
I heard the speech by Russell Barrett which has caused such a furor among certain K. U. alumni. Have we already lost the right of freedom of speech in this country? Mr. Barrett gave a straight forward, unemotional, factual account based on his research and study of Russian policy. There was no attempt in his speech to do other than inform people to certain aspects of our relations with Russia which are not usually discussed in the daily press. Is this a crime?
Those who criticize would do well to remember the famous words of Voltaire, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Must this right be withheld from University faculty members. The University should be one of the places where we have access to all sides of a question. It is the one place where we can hope to seek truth. We cannot learn the truth if only part of a story is told. Certainly the men who criticize Mr. Barrett have the right to criticize his conclusions, for that is the very essence of democracy, but even to hint at disciplinary action is disastrous.
If I were a professor at the University, I would stop and think before every word I spoke and ask. "Will this meet with the approval of the alumni and the attorney general?" Shortly, we will be taught only majority opinion. Four or five years ago when the Russians were gal-
Ku Ku Club Elects Clark President
The Ku Ku club elected officers Tuesday, They are, Earl Dean Clark, president; Walter Curtis, vice-president; David Burns, executive council.
lantly holding the line at Stalingrad, it was amiss to criticize Russia—today it is amiss not to criticize Russia. This is not to say that opinions should not change; but it does behoove us to look carefully when we criticize, for who knows who will be in the minority tomorrow? Only the principle of complete freedom of speech for all will protect us regardless of which side of the political fence we stand on.
Yes, Mr. Barrett has the right to his opinions and the right to speak out just as Mr. Private Citizen has that right. Mr. Barrett fought in the last war presumably to preserve that right—let us not take it from him.
Name withheld through fear of the attorney general
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Managing Editor Alan J. Stewart
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