This Is America Calling There are a lot of people in Europe and alsewhere who have peculiar ideas about Americans. Some of them believe we are a dollar mad, tough talking, gum chewing nation of businessmen. Our women are generally believed to be enthroned on pedestals and surrounded by electrical appliances. The only conversational exchange we are ever suposed to engage in is talk of stocks and bonds in a club locker room. We bolt our food, pamper our children, sneer at culture, and so it goes. One of the chief sources of these misconceptions is Hollywood. Our film capital distributes American motion pictures all over the world. In many places that's the only "Americana" the people ever hear or get to know about. That's like reading Dick Tracy to find out the latest in scientific crime detection. Hollywood Killers The average Englishman, for example, must have a tough time figuring us out. Britain just recently experienced its first police slaying in six years. Burt Lancaster, the Hollywood actor, could easily account for five times that many in one American film. The English evidently have some qualms about doings in the local constabulary. To judge by our films, Britishers might well believe we haven't. This and other odd conclusions about Americans which have been spread abroad by American films need to be counteracted. Fortunately there is an agency of our government that can do a lot to correct these Hollywood-sired ideas. That agency is the Voice of America. Propaganda Arm The Voice of America is our propaganda arm in Europe. By radio it reaches into almost every country abroad. It has suffered considerably in the past from a niggardly congress, but it now seems to be pretty well on its feet. When the Voice of America first began to beam its broadcasts to Europe, it attempted to show Europeans just what we are like on our side of the ocean. It went about the job by playing "Turkey In The Straw" as representative American music. Americans were portrayed as a bunch of cracker-barrel philosophers who believe in all the virtues and sit around exchanging homilies all day. Luckily for Americans this approach didn't last long. Comprehensive Broadcasts The broadcasts now try to give a comprehensive view of what Americans are like. No attempt is made to conceal or suppress the truth about what we are doing and thinking. It is hoped that the Voice of 'America will continue to try and enlighten Europeans about American customs and modes of living. Too often agencies of this kind devote most of their time to political broadcasts in an attempt to do a little international ax - grinding. Someone has to let the world know we aren't a nation of "cop-killers." The Voice of America could do it. Everybody in radio is worried about Bob Hope's falling Hooper rating except Bob Hope. He probably figures that if radio kicks him out, he can always get a good job out at the Crosby stables. After all he's given them a lot of free plugs the past 10 years. India's Population While trouble in India seems to center on the Hindu-Moslem conflict, many Americans see the burden of over-population as a major problem of the governments of Pakistan and India. How almost three times as many people as there are Americans can live in an arga half the size of the U. S. is beyond the imagination of the average Midwesterner. It can best be explained by saying that the Indians don't "live." They merely exist. Population Predictions Even more provoking are the statisticians' predictions that the population of India will reach 700 million by the year 2000,barring a major disaster. Why does the population continue to increase when the country can't support its present number? Logic can give no answer. History and statistics can. Even in the U.S. birth rates are highest in rural areas, particularly in lower-income areas such as the Ozark and Southern Appalachian mountains. It is generally agreed that farmers all over the world have larger families than urbanites. India is almost entirely an agricultural nation. Hindu Religion Hindu Religion But that one fact doesn't explain India's phenomenal rise in population. To see this one must look to the Hindu religion. The Hindu believes in life after death, but his time in heaven depends upon the welfare of his descendants. He believes that he may stay in heaven only as long as his descendants live. That means he must plant the roots of his family tree before he dies. One son might seem enough to the average American. But in India the average human being lives only 30 years. Two sons give the Indian a slim chance for heavenly peace, and he's gambling with anything less than five or six. Indian leaders recognize the need for some birth control. However, they realize to enforce such control would directly oppose the Hindu religion. Such a plan seems Member of the Kansas Press Assn., National Editorial Assn., Inland Daily Press Assn., and the Associated Collegiate Press. Represented by the National Advertising Service, 420 Madison Ave., New York City. Daily Hansan Student Newspaper of the UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Editor-in-Chief William C. von Maurer Managing Editor Alan J. Stewart Assst. Man. Editor Cooper Kramer Assst. Man. Editor Lesa Lauer City Editor Gene Vignery Asst. City Editor James Robinson Telegraph Editor Wallace W. Abbey Telegram Editor William Thorne Asst. Tel. Editor William Barger Sports Editor Robert E. Dellinger Asst. Sports Editor Paul Zeh Sports Editor James Jones Women's Sports Editor Ana Mary Murpry Feature Editor Patrick Editor Hal Nelson Society Editor Dorothy James Business Manager Bettie Bacon Robert Sanger Circulation Manager Otto Man Classified Adv. Man. Paul Warner Inst. Class, Adm. Don David Clydon Nest Promotion, Mt. Man. Wister Shreve doomed to failure. Without an alternative plan India faces a population increase that will lower her standard of living to the bottom of the Ganges.—Paul Conrad. In the 20's it was bootlegging. During the war it was hoarding and black-marketing. Nowadays if you want to cast aspersions on the good name of a person high in the public's esteem, you simply accuse him of commodity speculation. A New York court has ruled that it is against the law to call a man a Communist. The court decision seems trifle unjust until one realizes that in some Southern states an indiscreet use of the word Republican sometimes is enough to cause a riot. Call KU 376 with your Want Ads. Parker 51 Fountain Pens Super Chrome Ink STOWIT'S Rexall STORE BRICKS IS NOW OPEN SUNDAYS SERVING THE BEST CHICKEN DINNERS IN THE WEST - U.S. CHOICE STEAKS - CHICKEN DINNERS - BAKED HAM with all the trimmings. CAMPUS EATING HOUSE BRICKS THE LEADING W. E. BRICK MURPHY, Prop. Exhibits from 28 high schools entered in the high school art conference are on display on the second floor of Frank Strong hall. Each school has submitted 10 entries of various phases of visual art. Display Art Exhibits will be judged on a basis of design, color, and workmanship. The purpose of the conference is to help art students overcome their faults. Judges for the conference are: Robert Cook, professor of art, University of Wichita and Miss Julie Keeler, high school art teacher from Des Moines, Iowa, and Miss Mary Margaret Warner, curator of Thayer Museum of Art. Schools represented are: Pratt and Senior high and Junior High schools, Augusta High school, Winfield Junior and Senior High schools, Garden City High school, Parsons Junior High school, Atchison Junior and Senior High schools, Olathe School for the Deaf, Concordia Junior and Senior High schools, Hays High school, El dorado Junior and Senior High schools, Chanute High school, Hutchinson High school, Mission Hills High school, Northwestern and Central Junior High schools, Kansas City, Kan.: Crane, Holliday, Boswell, Curtis and Roosevelt Junior High school, Topeka Palestine's proverbial milk has curled and her bees don't make honey anymore. They act more like hornets these days. Books for Your Mid-Winter Reading are for sale and for rent here. Come in and see them. The Book Nook 1021 Mass. Tel. 666 "Always ready to serve" Daily Specials GEMMELL'S 717 Mass. Home Made Pies Phone 2072 Patronize the Advertisers in the University Daily Kansan. NO JOB IS TOO TOUGH When the trouble lies deep in your auto motor, you can depend on our experienced FORD mechanics to get to the bottom of it. Drive in today for a cold weather check up. Morgan - Mack 609 Mass. Phone 277