University DAILY KANSAN
STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
Wednesday, April 16, 1947
44th Year No.120
Lawrence. Kansas
French Freighter Blast Wrecks At Texas City
Bulletin
Washington—(UP)—American Red Cross headquarters said today it has received reports that "200 to 300 and possibly 700" persons have been killed and many injured in the Texas City, Texas, explosion.
There were no immediate official statements or estimates from anyone in the blast area on the number of casualties. The population of Texas City is more than 18,000 persons
A Houston police report said that Texas City authorities had ordered the immediate evacuation of the entire explosion-damaged town "because of spreading gas fires believed to be poisonous."
A Texas City telephone operator flashed Houston to "send the Red Cross; thousands are injured."
Texas City, Tex.—(UP)—A French lines freighter exploded in Galveston bay today and first reports from the area said that the concussion set off a series of blasts in the Monsanto Chemical company plant which were felt in a 130-mile area along the Texas Gulf coast.
By Bibler
The explosion was felt as far up the gulf coast as Beaumont and Port Arthur, 70 airline miles away. Freeport, 45 miles from the coast, was taken. Residents in the Houston area, 38 miles to the north, thought earthquake had hit.
The U.S. coast guard said fire broke out on the 3,000 ton French lines ship Grand Camp. The boat was loaded with Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer, the coast guard said, and it exploded 15 minutes after the fire broke out.
Huge fires were raging in oil storage areas along the busy waterfront. The 19 million dollar Monsanto Chemical company plant, ripped by blasts which followed the explosion, covered the city, where the explosions piled debris and injured perhaps hundreds.
Five students were fined a total of $151 Tuesday night by the student court.
Fire equipment from the entire gulf coast area was on the scene. Telephone lines were down and power was off, a Houston newsman said. Fires in the refinery area covered a mile and a half front. Black smoke over the disaster scene was visible for 10 miles.
Lawrence W. Brown, Jr., College sophomore, was fined $51 for breaking library rules. Ivan Moody and Edwin T. Mahood, business seniors, and Ralph Dunn and George Cozad, College freshmen, were fined $25 each for illegally transferring parking licenses.
Brown pleaded guilty to civil action brought against him on charges that he had injured the student body by checking out reserve books under a false name and keeping them for a two week period.
Five Fined $151 By Student Court
Defense counsel presented a statement signed by members of Brown's American people class, which affirmed that none of them had been damaged in any way by Brown's keeping reserve books for that man. He also supported on the grounds that the action was morally bad, and that Brown already had pleaded guilty to charges stating "damage to students."
In the cases of the four students found guilty of illegal transfer of parking licenses, a stay of execution of $15 was allowed to each man.
Little Man On Campus
Women Nominate 11 For Spring Election
The Independent Women's political party nominated 11 candidates for the general spring election April 23. Ballots were counted yesterday.
Five candidates were nominated for All Student Council representatives from District I and III, and six nominated for class officers.
Prof. Russell Wiley, director of the University band and orchestra, and Bill Sears, fine arts senior, left this morning for Enid, Okla., to attend the Tri-State Music festival.
A. S. C., candidates from District I are Shirley Wellborn, Locksey, Marylee Masterson, Miller, and Dorothy Scroggy, Miller. Candidates from Districts I and III, and six linger, Locksley and Ellen Spurney, Corbin.
Nominated for senior class officers are, Marian Minor, Templin; treasurer, Helen Havey, Jollife, secretary. For junior class officers, Margaret van der Smissen, Locksley, treasurer; Marian Graham, Sleepy Hollow, secretary. For sophomore class officers, Betty Cooper, Corbin, treasurer; Janet Rummer, Watkins, secretary.
The festival was started 16 years ago, with Professor Wiley as one of the organizers. It first included musicians from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas but now includes several other states. Professor Wiley organized a band at Phillips university in 1929 and the first musical festival was built around it.
Professor Wiley, besides being one of the honored guests, will conduct some bands and judge music competition at the festival. Sears will present a baton twirling exhibition. Both men will return to Lawrence Sunday.
The I. J. A. Mixer planned for tonight has been postgened. The mixer is now scheduled for April 30.
ISA Postpones Mixer
Wiley, Sears Attend Tri-State Festival
Women's Council Makes Plans For Spring Picnic
The United Women's council is planning an all University women's picnic this spring. ne council is also working on a program of counseling for new students next fall. Muralyn Spake, College junior and former Randolph-Macin student, presented counseling ideas from that school for the council's consideration.
New K.U. Group Decides Only To Get Out Vote
Will Maintain Non-Partisan Attitude; Won't Publicize Or Endorse Candidates
By ALLAN W. CROMLEV
After wrangling for two hours Tuesday in the Little theater of Green hall, the new League of Student Voters decided to confine its activities to getting out the student vote on election day. April 23.
Lindley hall will soon look like a pile of rock set in an arboretum. "Arboretum" is derived from Latin and means where a lot of trees and shrubs grow.
'Arboretum' Is 47's Gift To Lindley's Spring Plans
The meeting had been originally scheduled for 7 tonight, however, the official bulletin Tuesday announced the meeting for that night, so it was held.
Party Endorses Political Action
President Paul Barker of the Progressive party said Tuesday night that his party endorses the theory behind the new political organization "because its aims and purposes are identical to ours."
"We, as they, are chiefly interested in getting rid of all this Greek-Independent friction and in developing more responsible and efficient student government," he said.
There will be another meeting at 7 tonight in 9 Frank Strong hall.
It's motto is "Vote for the student—not for the party."
Bill Adams, College freshman,
succeeded Charles Roter, engineering
freshman, as head of the publicity
committee. Roter resigned saying
that he did not have the time required
to do the job thoroughly.
The entire planting on the north will be interspersed with 15.000 flowering bulbs.
"The business expediency, plat form, and nominations committees have been dissolved since their usefulness to the party is of no further value." Barker said.
A committee to investigate veterans fees will be appointed later.
Plans are being drawn by Arthur Burger, landscape architect in Fort Worth, Tex., to use the $3,000 given by the class of '47 to give the grounds around Lindley the "nicest planting the campus has ever had," James Reiter, head gardener, said.
"Somedav we hope to have the whole south bank covered with iris, too," said Mr. Reiter.
"Of course, we can't hope to get all the planting done this spring, especially with the weather so tricky. In fact it will be three or four years before the planting will
Tentative plans call for a border of pear trees along the curving sidewalk leading past Lindley. Inside this will be low Mugha pines. A 10-foot band of iris, peonies, and chrysanthemums will border these to the south.
Extending along the north side, the shrubbery will change to a new variety of forsythia called "spring glory", forming a background for some Japanese yews, low spreading evergreen shrubs.
15. 000 Bulbs
Close to the northeast corner of the building will be euonymus shrubs. They are low evergreens with leaves which turn a brilliant red in the fall.
By the flagpole, will be tree wisteria, which has large clumped lavender blooms.
Wisteria by Flagpole
show up as the beautiful thing it is;
he said.
To Plant Flower Beds
Plantings in the four flower beds on the campus have been definitely decided on, and they'll be blooming as soon as it is possible to set them out.
The balcony of Hoch auditorium will look out over a bed of white vicaora, a large plant with slender stalks of delicate white blooms. The bed will be interplanted with chrysanthemums for fall blooming.
Hardy pink petunias will blossom in the circular bed at the end of the west drive. Triangle' Planted
The "triangle" in front of the law building has narcissus in it now and later it will have chrysanthemums. The bed in front of the hospital will have dark red geraniums as usual
Forsythia on the campus was badly nipped by the hard freeze early in the spring. Most of it on the campus,pus setting it blooming only at the bottom. Nothing else was affected by the freeze, said Mr. Reiter.
The 1000 crab apple trees, gift of the class of '46, are budding and will soon be 'beauty spots' on the campus.
The group which in the words of its organizers, "had been formed in about 18 hours," had a hard time deciding whether to publicize qualifications of candidates, actually endorse them, or be entirely non-partisan.
The body reached its decision only after prolonged debate marked by the sincerity of the majority and distrust by a few.
The league meets again at 4 p.m today in the same place.
Asks Reason For Party
After the election of Bruce Bathurst as chairman of the meeting, Jean Moore asked why the group had been formed. He seemed to think that disappointed office holders from several political parties had started the league.
Bathurst asked the group if it wanted to put up candidates of its own in the coming election.
He was assured by the majority of the group that there was no skullduggery involved.
Lois Thompson, College senior, said. "If we put up candidates we would be a pressure group. We should be completely objective. We should not endorse anyone, but rather publicize the qualifications of such candidate."
Proposes Representation Plan
This plan was disapproved. As John entered into too formal an organization."
Otis Hill proposed a plan of representation in the league, in which each organized house would have two representatives and unorganized students would be represented by apportionment geographically.
Paul Barker, president of Progressive party, objected to what he said were slams against his party. He was also afraid that someone was using the group to push PSGL legislation, which had, in fact, been defeated April 7.
Hill arose and said, "If you can find any ulterior motives in this organization I'll leave school."
*Hammered By Distrust*
Wallace Foster said, "This group is having the same difficulty that the Progressive party had. We were hampered by a feeling of distrust. But I think that there are no ulterior motives on the part of any of the leaders here."
Barker subsided, and Hill is still in school.
Henry Werner, dean of student affairs, advised the league to be a "continuing group, a gadfly, without party representation.
"Forget about your political parties," he said. "They don't amount to a hill of beans."
Watson, Richard Nostet.
Moore said he thought the group must swing voters to be effective. Someone thought the league should be merely a watchdog. Barker complained about ulterior motives. Someone thought they were only forming another inner circle.
'Must Swing Voters'
This had gone on from 4 p.m. almost 6 p.m. before the group cided to confine its activities to getting out the vote.
WEATHER
Kansas—Generally fair, warmer west. Diminishing wind and colder east today. Clear and continued cold tonight. Little local light frost. Thursday fair and considerably warmer. Low tonight near 25 north-west to 30-35 southeast.
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